Far Cry 5: The Panther
by thatguyftw
Summary: Park Ranger Luke Wilmette is asked to assist in the arrest of cult leader Joseph Seed. But as the extraction commences, everything goes wrong. Now lost and seemingly alone in foreign territory, Luke must gather allies wherever he can, or fall prey the the Seed family
1. The Arrest

Luke Wilmette was never a religious man. Never went to church, never said prayers, and never thanked God for anything. So of course, he didn't think about God when an old friend of his dad asked the rookie ex-military Park Ranger for help on an arrest.

Luke drove down a dirt road that would lead him to the top of a hill overlooking Joseph Seed's compound. Putting his truck in park, he retrieved his rifle off the back. Assembling it and placing tranquilizing rounds into the clip, he sighed. The Montana heat causing beads of sweat to form on his forehead.

Gripping his binoculars that hung from his neck, he surveyed the compound, assessing what the opposition had available. ARs, Dogs... a flamethrower? Before he could conclude as to why, the sound of a helicopters motor in the distance entered his ears. It hovered for a moment before landing on the edge of the compound.

He laid down on the grass and loaded his gun. Peering through the scope, he saw four people get out of the helo, two women, and two men. The women looked to be two deputies, accompanied by a U.S. Marshall, and finally Sheriff Whitehorse.

He watched as they cautiously walked up to the door, hesitating for a moment. Whitehorse held up his radio up to his mouth.

"Pratt, you keep that chopper close, in case we need a quick exit. Wilmette, you make sure you fire only if absolutely necessary." He removed the radio from his mouth.

Wilmette hesitated for a second as he watched the Sheriff look at his position. Pulling his radio off his waistband and brought it to his mouth.

"All clear up here, fire when necessary, you give the call Sheriff." With a slight huff he placed his radio on his hip, returning his view into the scope.

"Hopefully I won't need to son. Whitehorse out."

Wilmette watched as they entered the church, the door closing behind them. As of now they had no help, they were on they're own. The only person who could help them was the Deputy who sat outside of the door.

He had no way to see into the building. He may not be a religious man, but he prays for their safety. As the seconds turned into minutes, it felt like years before several people left the church doors, but none of the law enforcers exited. He began to grow nervous, what ifs filling his head as what felt like years passed by.

When it seemed as if they would never come out, the three people came out with 'The Father' in the hands of the second Deputy. Her face was hidden under the brim of her hat, making her expression unreadable to him.

The Sheriff seemed calm, but a noticeable worry sat in his eyes. The U.S. Marshal held his head high, pride radiating from him. Luke could feel it from where he sat. The last Dep was visibly nervous, her head was scanning each follower as if they may lash out at any minute.

As his sight came back to the Marshal, his breath caught in his throat as he watched him push one back. A sudden outburst and gunshots rang out second later. As all of this happened, the thing that disturbed him the most, was the simple fact of Joseph, although caught in the middle of all the chaos, couldn't seem calmer if he tried.

His radio cracked to life at that moment with the Sheriff's voice.

"Dammit Wilmette we need help, shoot the ones in the middle so you don't hit us, and try to keep them from the other side of the chopper." His voice seemed frantic as the ambient sounds could be heard from both a distance and the radio.

"Dammit Marshal, why the hell did you do that?" He growled through his teeth as he lined up his first shot.

The go ahead from the sheriff was all he needed to hear as he opened fire, sedating a follower with every shot. After emptying his second clip, he quickly panned over to his comrades, but stopped suddenly. Through his scope Joseph was staring at him, somehow through the dark, across the distance he had spotted him.

Sound could not have been it, as he had a silencer on the end of his rifle, and all other left-over noise should be lost in the commotion he was front and center for. Yet still, here he was, staring at him. As he sat there, Joseph said something that sent shivers up his spine, the words he said was this:

"God will not let you take me." That, one, simple phrase froze Luke to his spot. His eyes scanning Joseph's face as he was placed into the chopper. A fear unlike any other surrounded his body, as a heaviness weighed on his mind.

The Chopper took off as followers held onto it. His breath stuttered as he got his bearings. Before he could shoot though, the barking of a dog off to his side caught his attention. Some of the followers from the church began to swarm him, not shooting, but running in his direction.

"Dammit, not now!" Luke mumbled as he climbed to his feet.

He reached for his radio, but as soon as it was unhooked, he lost his grip on it when a dog tackled him to the ground. The voice of the Sheriff came through the radio to warn him.

"-get out – there – too dang-ous – run!" The cracked voice came through in bits and pieces on the radio. He couldn't really hear it above the barking coming from the dog that was on top of him. With one strong push he knocked it off him and took off towards his vehicle. With his rifle over his back, he fumbled with the keys as he climbed into his vehicle.

"Come on, come on, come on dammit!" He yelled at the vehicle in hope that it would start, allowing for his escape. Frantic as the dog clawed at his truck, he turned the key one last time.

Starting the engine, he ducked as bullets peppered his vehicle, a green gas slowly filling the inside. Shoving the gas pedal down to the floor he raced down the hill with reckless abandon, white stars beginning to fill his vision. The only place in Hope County he was even the slightest bit familiar with was the Whitetails, and so that was the destination.

"I don't feel to good, what the hell is this stuff?" he asked himself rolling down his windows to let the gas out. The Green gas was quickly sucked out of the cab.

The longer he drove, the more he had troubles controlling things. He would blackout occasionally, as his vision became worse. The area he was in was not the Whitetails. Flowers were everywhere, he had no idea where he was in the slightest sense of the word.

he mumbled as he leaned forward, attempting to make out anything beyond the hood of his car. "This was a stupid fucking decision. Shoulda just stayed home, but nope had to help arrest a cult leader. If your up there God, this is a sick fucking joke. Where the hell am i anyway?"

Just before he could form any sense of thought on where he was a tree appeared out of nowhere. Swerving too late the front of the vehicle smashed into the aforementioned object. Luke, not bound by a seat-belt, flew out of the windshield. For a moment, he accepted death, feeling as though that was his only option at this point. He didn't scream nor did he cry.

But death did not come, instead the feeling of water surrounded him. Rushing to what he hoped was the surface, he broke through to find his truck on fire, with no form of communication or transportation, he was trapped. A sense of dread washed over him as he climbed out of the water, a fuzzy green haze over everything.

He slowly climbed to his feet and trudged up the small riverbed. Not caring about the flames, he reached into the vehicle and through the fire to retrieve his rifle. Its side slightly scorched, he slung it over his back and slowly made his way to the back and opening the toolbox.

Inside was a small backpack, containing a pistol, clothes, first aid, some food, a canteen of water, and luckily enough for him, a spare radio. Removing his rifle and attaching it to the sack, he slung both back onto his backside continuing his march down the road.

As he walked, he waited for his vehicle to erupt like in the movies, but no such thing happened, the fire died out, and the sounds of nature were all that was left. That's when his situation really began to set in. Limited supplies, no help coming, and alone in enemy territory. He pulled out his radio and turned it on, relieved to here the ambient static kick in.

"This is Park Ranger Luke Wilmette, if anyone can here me, I'm located somewhere in Hope County, somewhere east of Joseph Seeds compound, i think. I'm not sure. I need help, I just crashed, I'm lost, and i have only a minimal supply of resources. Sheriff, if your there, please, send help." he placed his radio on his waist, not knowing how much battery life it had left.

As he walked, he found it exceedingly difficult to continue. The green haze becoming more prevalent as he went on his way. Grass, white flowers, and even butterflies became more frequent. The last thing he remembered was a girl's giggle, before the dark embrace of sleep held him.


	2. The Day Prior

Faith hurried to Josephs compound. Her dream last night revealed a panther, it was protecting the lamb. It was like that suddenly until her dream changed and showed the panther leading Joseph to the lamb, and not attacking him when he approached the lamb. He needed to hear about this. When her vehicle stopped she rushed through the church doors, Joseph merely turned to see who it was.  
"My dear Faith, what has you so frantic this morning?" He took her face in his hands and she instantly calmed.  
"Father! I had a vision last night of a panther that came from the hill to protect the lamb. But it did not try to lead it, merely protect it! Does this mean another will be coming?"  
Joseph smiled at this. Another wayward soul, one who does not wish to taint the lamb, will be brought to home, God has tasked him to save this panther. "Yes Faith, you have brought to me the final piece of the vision, this panther, tell me what else it did." She slowly shook her head.  
"It came from the hill, and lashed out at all who came near the lamb. Save for a black dog, a cobra, a white horse, and a hummingbird. It seemed to protect them all, it even snarled when you came close Father!" Joseph only nodded. This soul she speaks of is loyal to himself and those he protects, but deep down, it wants to be saved. In her dream it merely snarled at Joseph, it did not attack him.  
"Tell me Faith, what did this Panther look like." She shook her head and frowned. Sadness filled her eyes suddenly.  
"Its black fur was matted, it body scarred, and its eyes, the pain they held, the poor thing looked lost. It looked so in pain, like it wanted to quit, just walk away from everything. But then the most wonderful thing happened to it! I found it, hurt and alone! I took it in and its black fur became a beautiful white as it calmed! And then it led you to the lamb, protecting you and the lamb as sinners attacked! Oh Father it was a most wonderful moment!" He smiled at her enthusiasm. This lost soul, they must be the key to saving the lamb. They must be saved at all cost. Only then, can Joseph save the lamb.  
"Thank you Faith, I'm grateful you brought me this information this morning." After Joseph said that he sent Faith on her way and began to think about what she had told him. God has given him the key to the lamb's survival and faith, in the form of a panther. He contacted Nancy when he knew she would be on lunch break. She informed him that the Sheriff had enlisted the help of a former soldier turned park ranger. Luke Wilmette. The story of the young man was a sad one, and Joseph felt for him.  
"Father, from what the Sheriff has told me, Luke has had a tough life. His mother apparently died at birth. He never knew a mothers love his whole life. When he was younger him and his father were extremely close. When he went away for the army, his father took it to heart and thought his son abandoned him. Their reunion ended in a fight between the two. After that he never spoke to his father again. He settled down just after that and married a woman named Samantha, a year later they had two daughters. It looked like things were going good for him, until his home was robbed when he was at work, poor Luke. The man raped his wife and daughters and then killed them."  
Joseph wept for the poor man, for he knew what it felt like to have it all taken away as God tests you. From what he can understand. Luke had passed his, he became more entrenched in his work, and for the first time in his life, he went to church, even if it was only once. Joseph would restore any fate he once had.  
"Thank you child." As he hung up the phone, he knew how crucial the panther now was. Luke was like a younger Joseph, one that felt abandoned by God. He would help him. The he, Joseph, and the Lamb, would all, march into Eden's gate. As he waited for the next day, he stared at the only hill near the compound.

'A panther that came from the hill to protect the lamb.'


	3. The Bliss of Faith

When Luke first felt some semblance of awareness, all he could see was green fog. Having no clue where he was, he was strangely at peace with himself. As he peacefully walked through the green tinted landscape, he slowly took notice of the blue butterflies that landed on his finger.

Suddenly a girl came into his view, blowing more green smoke into his face.

"Welcome to the bliss." she said. When his vision cleared, he was sitting on the ground, and across from him was a young woman with a white dress, with flowers on her waist and the bottom of her dress, her feet were completely bare. She took a moment to speak to him.

"I know you've heard stories about me, that I'm a liar, a manipulator. That i poison people's minds..."

Before he realized what was happening, she was leading him by his hand. The feeling of his rough hands against her own smooth ones gave him a strange comforting feeling. He looked up and was captured in her hazel eyes.

"Well, let me tell you a different story." She turned around, now facing away from him she began to walk. As she ran her hands atop of a few wildflowers, Luke felt compelled to do the same. Suddenly she turned back to him and knelt, taking him with her.

"A true story." There was a long pause between them, and it only renewed when she slowly lifted her head. "There once was a young woman who had been ostracized by her community. Bullied by friends. Abused by her family."

The more she spoke, the more he hurt. He felt for the woman in the story. He empathized with the woman in front of her. It was then that he realized who he spoke to.

Faith. Seed.

The younger sister of the Seed family. She used her drug 'Bliss', to force the people under its influence to listen to her. The Sheriff warned him about her. She could use her words almost to the same degree as John. But unlike him, she used her life story to guilt people into listening to her. Made them sad and feel sorry for her. That was how she sank her hooks into people. But, at this moment, he couldn't care about that.

The woman who sat before him has had a rough past like himself. His Mother passed away at birth. From a young age he too had been abused. His Father would beat on him when the day just didn't go his way. His Step-Mother would hit him with anything she could when she got angry. That was how the first eight years of his life went. To most people it seemed like he had a nice childhood. That was until the Sheriff stepped in. The Sheriff had known the family for years. Unfortunately, they hid the fact that he was abused all too well. When Whitehorse came to borrow something one day, he had seen his father hit him. That was the truth. The story that the Sheriff told everyone was a lie to keep the memories from coming back to hurt Luke.

Finally taken from the place he once called home, he grew. He learned. And he became happier. That was until his first heartbreak. The then seventeen-year-old Luke turned to alcohol to help him after his then girlfriend cheated on him. He got into fights and went from being a good kid to a delinquent. Finally having enough, he decided to join the military. When he returned home, he was a new man.

He was once again happy with himself. Gaining his current job as a Park Ranger, he settled down and got married. A year and a half later, his twin daughters were born. Things were going good for him. Until he decided to drive home after having a beer at a friend's house. His wife and kids were in the car, and they didn't survive the crash. He lived, and he felt it was his punishment for what he had done. So he lived for them, but her. She took her suffering and used it as a way to help people.

"She took to a needle for help. She was all alone. She was all alone. She wanted to die." again a moment of silence sat between the two. A tear fell down his cheek. He wanted nothing more that to comfort the woman at that moment. To make sure nothing would hurt her again.

"And then she met the Father." She giggled and stood, bringing Luke with her again. He felt like he had no control, nor did he want to. She ran pulling him with her. When they stopped, the statue of Joseph sat in the distance.

"He gave her hope, and confidence. The Father showed her how special she was..." she let go of his hand and spun in a circle, she seemed overjoyed and that happiness poured into his own heart.

"... That she was full of love and life. He gave her a new family. One that accepted her just as she was." She stepped forward and caressed the side of his face with the side of her hand, when it fell away, he felt himself long for the feeling to return.

"The young woman no longer wished to die. She had been given purpose." They sped through the fog towards the foot of the large statue. When they stopped, the concrete statue loomed over them, the book, hovering just above them.

"One day, The Father brought her here. He asked if she had faith in him. He asked if she would be willing to die for him." She once again spun as she walked a little away from the statue. Him not wanting to leave her, followed suit.

"The young woman, who very much wished to live, was scared. The Father told her that this was her test." It was only then that he realized another figure stood deeper in the fog. He could not tell who it was, but the silhouette gave him a sense of comfort.

"He would have Faith in her if she had faith in him. So, she closed her eyes, and leapt." She jumped into the fog disappearing from sight. The fog around the figure vanished, and it revealed it was Joseph. He was reading from a white book. When he came completely into view, he closed the book. A giggle could be heard from all around Luke. Faith's voice could be heard from all around him.

"The Father kept his word." Her voice faded, leaving Just Luke and Joseph. The older man approached the twenty-six-year-old.

"When I look into your eyes, all i can see is pain. The pain of loss, the pain of grief, and the pain, of regret." The words Joseph spoke reverberated in his head. They brought back memories he much rather would have kept locked away.

"The one you look up to. No matter how much he may say that lying about your past will help you, you must face the pain so that you may grow. Do not let those who wish to lie to you, lead you from the path." Joseph took Luke's face in his hands and rested his forehead against his. In that instance, Luke could not have been more content with life. Joseph placed the white book in Luke's bag, and stepped back.

"Do not stray from your path, I will see you soon, Panther." And with that, the world around Luke, faded to white.


	4. Hope County Jail

When the white began to dissipate, three silhouettes stood above him. One held something in their hand, the glint on the end of what looked like a needle drew closer.

"No! NO! NO SHOTS! NO!" Luke lashed out and grabbed the needle. A figure that seemed familiar came into view. Luke couldn't tell who it was through the haze.

"Luke calm down. We're trying to help." They said. Their voice reverberated in his head. The four figures tried desperately to restrain the ex-soldier.

"NO! NO HELP! NO DRUGS! NO NEEDLES!" Luke began trashing about and pushing the four away.

"Luke, we need you to stop moving around so much!" The voice spoke again.

"Sheriff, I don't think this is a smart idea!" A more feminine voice said

Luke began groaning and pushing up.

"Dammit Luke listen to me! This will bring you outta the bliss!" The Sheriff yelled at him. His first response was a shaking of the head.

"NO! I DON'T WANNA LEAVE! I'M HAPPY HERE! I DON'T WANNA GO!" Luke screamed at the people who were trying to take away his happiness.

"Stop fighting it Luke, we're trying to help!" The Sheriff shook the younger man as the other three fought to pull his hand from the adrenaline shot.

"Sheriff he isn't letting go!" A much more timid male voice spoke from the group.

The Sheriff sighed, raised his hand, and slapped Luke. The younger man laid in shock as his grip loosened. Before he could swipe at the needle again, it was ripped from his hands and placed into his chest. A gasp was heard, and Luke calmed. The haze leaving his view.

"Jesus kid, almost scared me to death. How you feel?" The Sheriff said as he sat back in his chair next to Luke's bed.

"Like shit, what happened?" He said placing his hand over his eyes to block out the light.

"Well, we found you just wandering out in a field just North of here. You were blissed outta your mind. When we tried to grab you, you smacked one of our guys over the head with a rock. We played hell getting you back here. Then had an ever-harder time bringing you outta the Bliss." Luke tried to stand, but his legs buckled beneath him. Whitehorse hurried over to catch him.

"Where's everyone else?" Luke watched as Whitehorse looked away, only looking back with a radio.

Looking around the room, the tension grew exponentially. The crackle of the radio drew Luke's attention.

"My children, we must give thanks to God. The day I have prophesied to you has arrived." That voice.

Joseph FUCKING Seed. The words he said to him while he was in the bliss stuck to him. That bastard knew his background. There's no way he won't try to use that to his advantage.

"Everything I have told you has come True... The authorities who tried to take me from you are now in the loving embrace of our family... save for two." The more he talked, the more Luke realized why people followed him. His voice was strong, solid, and full of hope. He felt that in every word he said.

"But these wayward souls will be found. Our friend the Park Ranger, is in Sister Faith's region. And our lost little lamb will be found soon. These lost souls will be returned to our flock. They will be punished for their transgressions. But, in the end, they will see our Glorious Purpose." Luke shivered from head to toe. He knew that he was the Park Ranger that Joseph kept mentioning, He knew where he was. He spoke as if he could get him if he wanted to at any time.

"Will see Their True purpose." At that moment, the silent sound of Amazing Grace began playing in the back of his mind, but the voice singing it, was Joseph Seed. White stars began to fill his vision again, but not to the point of blurriness. Brushing it off as a side effects of coming off the Bliss, he returned his attention back to the radio.

"And they will be forgiven. I am your Father. You are my children. And together, we will march through Eden's Gate." And with that the recording ended. Luke sat for a moment, ignoring the stars and singing, he began to think.

"So, it's just us Sheriff? Luke said, worry present in his voice. The Sheriff shook his head before replying

"That was before I was found. You've been out there for a few days. This recording went out while we were out searching for you. And if it says what I think, it will be just us." Whitehorse began the second transmission.

"My children, today is a glorious day. The lamb is now in our loving care. She is learning what her purpose is." Luke's heart stopped. He realized who it was that Joseph was speaking of. That mysterious Deputy at the church.

"But, our friend the Park Ranger, is still lost. We must find him soon. Those who he will turn to will turn him from the path and poison his mind with their lies." His words seemed to cause the singing to grow louder. As it began to pulse in his head, causing a slight ache to form.

"We must find him soon. I have looked in his eyes. He seeks atonement, but does not know who to trust. He looked in pain. Lost. Alone. And afraid." The more he listened, the more he angered. The more the singing grew. And the green poked at the edge of his vision.

"Luke Wilmette, I have seen your past. You did not speak, but I have heard. We will help you. We will save you. Together we will walk through Eden's Gate together." Luke froze. That was a blatant threat towards Luke. Joseph had basically just said that Luke was his next target. That thought scared him, but he did not let it show.

"Sheriff, do you think you can take care of this place by yourself for a while?" Luke questioned as he walked over to a table with a map on it. Scanning his eyes over it, he glanced over when the layout of Hope County.

"Well yeah, but what exactly are you plannin'?" Whitehorse questioned as he leaned over Luke's shoulder.

Luke said nothing but pointed his fingers up towards the whitetails. Drawing things with his fingers, he hummed or grunted every so often. Finally having enough the woman in the room approached him.

"So, what, you just gonna do that all day, or are you gonna explain what your thinking to us?" she said, the sound of anger lingering in her words. Luke casually stood up and crossed his arms, scanning the room he opened his mouth.

"I'm planning on heading up to the Whitetails, I imagine there are some folks up there who would really appreciate some help right about now. From what I've gathered, Jacob is probably held up in either the F.A.N.G. Center, or the Veterans Center. Now I may be stupid in thinking this, but I was gonna head up there and see if I can't take back the F.A.N.G. Center."

A silence fell over the room as they all stared at him in disbelief. Luke however just kept running over scenarios in his head. Most of them ended with him dead or captured.

"Luke! No, I forbid it. That's a suicide mission and you know it. You may be ex-military, but so is Jacob, and he has an entire army at his disposal." He said grasping the man's shoulders. The Sheriff's eyes pleaded with Luke to not go, but they knew he would not stay.

"I'm sorry Sheriff, but someone's gonna have to fight him Eventually, it's better to hit him now. I'm taking my bag and I'm leaving tonight." With that Luke returned to make sure he had all of his stuff as he prepared to leave.


	5. The Resistance

Luke slowly grabbed his pack and weapons as he woke up. Now he would leave for the Whitetails.

But even now the incessant singing continued. He hoped the small nap he took would ease it. Unfortunately, it didn't help much.

Standing up to stretch, he checked his belongings and put them on his back. His bag felt slightly heavier than it did earlier. Brushing it off as just waking up, he returned to the map from earlier. Drawing light lines and circles on it, he carefully devised a plan that, with little luck, would bring about Jacob Seed's end of terror.

So engulfed in his own little world, he didn't notice the Sheriff walked into the room until he pointed something out.

"If your gonna go up this road, I suggest doing a little bit of pre-planning, it's the shortest road that connects the F.A.N.G. Center and the Veteran's Center. It'll Be heavily guarded and patrolled." He said as he highlighted the road he spoke of. Luke shook his head before making a suggestion.

"Well, how about I take this road around to here, then cut through the woods here? Not only will i avoid that road, but I'll also have a better chance of keeping the element of surprise." Drawing a few more lines in blue to express his new plan, he looked to the Sheriff for his opinion.

Before answering, Whitehorse stood up and scratched his chin.

"Well if we're looking at the safety aspect, it'll be safer, but I'm not sure of the amount of time it might take"

"Dully-noted, now what are you really here for Sheriff, because I know it's not to help me plan my assault." He said, before looking back down at the map.

Whitehorse sighed as he prepared to answer Luke.

"Look, Luke, i know i can't talk you out of this but at least listen to me. We just got word that Rook just escaped John's bunker, i don't know how, but she did. She's probably headed over to Falls End. Could you go give her a little help?" The look in his eyes were that of a begging child. Whitehorse was up to his neck in shit already. The only break he's gotten was finding Luke, and now he may lose him again.

"Yeah, I'll head over there for a couple days and help, but after that I'm heading immediately up to Jacob's region. Three days Sheriff, that's all I'm giving." Whitehorse visually calmed. the traces of a smile tugging at his mouth.

"Thanks Luke, be safe." as he went to leave, he stopped in the doorway. "Oh hey, there's a dirt bike out front waiting for you. It's bright green, we grabbed it from some Peggies." with that he left Luke to his map.

After glancing into John's region, a bit, he determined that the first place that he wants to take back in Rye & Son's Aviation. Having access to air support at a moment's notice is a plus in any situation. Further planning would have to wait until he learned more on the situation when he got there to make any further moves safely.

On his way out, the pudgier man from earlier entered and walked up to Luke.

"I know, we haven't met yet, but, here." He said giving Luke a pin. It had a cougar on it and said Hope County Cougars on it. "Just know your always a part of the team." Luke smiled and offered his hand.

"We kind of got off on a shit-"

"Language." This caused Luke to chuckle. Here was a man that stuck to his morals. Luke liked him.

"Well, we got off on the wrong foot. I'm Luke." The other man took his and shook it.

"Virgil, pleasure to meet you. You know, the Sheriff was dead set on finding you. He said you could help a lot around here. I hope he's right. I put some extra supplies in your bag, just in case. We didn't want you to die in your fight against Jacob."

Luke smiled as he watched the other man left the room. Rolling up the map he made his leave. No one stopped him until he got outside.

"I was starting to think you weren't gonna leave." Whitehorse yelled from beside the dirt bike.

"Sheriff, you know better then to doubt me. I'm a man of my word. I'm heading over to help your Deputy now. I'll try to give a shout out over the radio when I find them No guarantee though, it's likely they have total control on communications on a broad range." Luke rubbed the back of his head as he swung his leg over the vehicle. Turning the key, it roared to life and he took off.

Keeping the light off offered little stealth under the cover of darkness as the vehicle roared over the roads. The few Peggie vehicles he passed gave no chase. He didn't know if it was too dark, or they thought he was one of them.

After navigating his way through the dark, he arrived in Falls End as the sun rose over the horizon. He would prefer to forget the amount of times he got lost or ended up in a ditch after losing control of the bike. Lucy, as he called it, was a touch to sensitive on the throttle.

Finally, coming towards the small town, people began to gather towards the end. Obviously not very friendly towards this newcomer, they readied their weapons as a lone woman stood many feet ahead of the rest. Luke stopped aways away, turned off the vehicle, and walked with it. The woman, who seemed familiar, began walking to meet him.

"You can stop right there." She yelled to him. Both parties stopped moving.

Sitting Lucy on it's kickstand, he raised his hands to show he meant no harm.

"Hey, Dep right, thought you were caught by them, gave the Sheriff quite the scare." Luke was visibly tense. With one word his life could be over. The woman, the Deputy, smiled a bit as she realized who she spoke to.

"You know, your shorter than I imagined an ex-soldier would be." Scoffing, Luke looked to the side before giving her a fake laugh.

"Oh, ha ha Miss Rookie Officer." Her smile was wide and genuine as she waved for him to follow her. He watched as the group slowly started dispersing and returning to where and what they were previously doing.

"Nice bike, kinda lacking in the stealth department though. Personally, I would have chosen a darker green." She pointed out as they walked towards what looked like a bar.

"Yeah personally, I wanted a bright pink, you know something that just screams 'Shoot me, go on I'm right here!'" He smiled as she laughed. The bar, The Spread Eagle, was quite the place, a few people sat about, with a woman tending to the counter.

"Hey Dep, who's your friend?" She spoke up as she pulled two beers out and sat them down. Luke was a bit nervous leaving his bike out front but knew it would look stupid to bring his bike inside.

"This here is the Park Ranger I was talking about. Hey, sorry, I didn't catch your name. the Sheriff Didn't tell me." Her quizzical look made him nod as he reached a hand out to the bar tender.

"Luke, Luke Wilmette, Ill be helping out for the next few days before I head up to Jacob's region. So, if anything needs done, just ask. Whitehorse asked me to come help the Dep here for a bit before I take on Jacob's army head on." Just speaking the name of the soldier made the low hum of Amazing Grace dissipate from his mind. His headache eased slowly.

"Well I'll be damned. Your just as crazy as the Deputy. And what makes you think you'll be able to take Jacob down by yourself?" Her question made him smile.

"Didn't you know, all ex-soldiers have a god complex? But in all seriousness, I'm hoping there's at east a few people up there who can help." His head lowered as she pushed a beer into his hand. The cold of the bottle brought back the painful memories of the night he lost his family. "No sorry, but I gave up drinking a while ago."

"No harm done, I'll take it." A man with a scruffy beard said. His hat read the words of his first plan.

"Rye and Son's Aviation, huh? Well, that's done already then." The three just kind of looked at him as he stood up.

"Woah buddy, whaddya mean done?" The man said grabbing his shoulder. Luke, as to not appear hostile, let it stay on his shoulder.

"My first plan of action was to take back your property if had been taken, but it appears that the Deputy here has beat me to it. So, instead, I think I'm gonna acquaint myself with the leaders of the resistance and gain my bearings on the situation." Beginning to walk away he was stopped by the sound of a radio. A new voice came through.

"Hello again Deputy." The voice called over the radio to the Deputy.

"What do you want John? I'm kind of busy at the moment." The venom of her words could be heard by everyone in the room.

"My, My, I only called to ask if our friend Luke has indeed come to your aid." Luke and Dep exchanged glances as she handed him her radio.

"Hello John, you've reached Luke. What do I owe the unpleasantness of your call today? It was such a nice day too before you ruined it." His tone was annoyed as he spoke to the youngest Seed brother.

"I've come to ask if you will atone today, I have heard your story. Losing your family must be hard, especially when it was all your doing. Was the alcohol worth it Luke. I know your sins. Greed, Wrath, and Pride. It's amazing what just a small amount of research can do." The more John Spoke, the more infuriated Luke became. He knew they would use his path against him. But to investigate it in depth. His jaw began to hurt from how much he was clenching his teeth.

"Top of you class in shooting. You were a sniper. I talked to one of your former Captain's. Do you know what he said? He said that, and I quote 'Luke was incredibly proud of his marksmanship. He boasted the top accuracy of the company.' So, tell me, what else are you proud of, hmm?"

"Listen here, you asshole- "before he could continue, John had cut him off.

"There's that Wrath I was talking about Luke. Your anger controls you. If you had not used tranquilizing rounds that night you came to arrest Joseph, you would have killed twenty-five people. How do you feel knowing that, Huh?" Luke could feel John's smile through the radio. Anger tugged at every fiber of his being. He wanted to lash out, hope on Lucy and attack John's home, but it would be a half-backed plan of anger that was sure to fail.

"I hope I can see you in my confession room soon Luke, I look forward to it." With that the transmission ended. Luke looked around the room, a few more people had arrived, and they gathered around him. He slowly looked around before his eyes landed on Rook.

"Let's go show him what he's up against."


	6. Cleansed of Sin

As Luke traversed Holland Valley on Lucy, the Dep Followed close behind in a large Semi, The Widowmaker. Being in front of the large vehicle made Luke nervous, the vehicle could squash him like a bug. But, luckily it was the Deputy behind the wheel, so he felt at ease. Glancing back he smiled as her dog's head hung out. The sun gave the sky a nice orange hue for whatthey were about to due

Luke instantly fell in love with Boomer. He always wanted a dog, but they never got one, as his wife was allergic. Quickly turning back around, he went off-road for a bit. They were currently on their way to the Green-Busch Fertilizer Co. to liberate it. Luke would be taking the high ground with his rifle, while the deputy took the ground.

Stopping at a place that gave him a few good vantage points, he laid down and prepared his gun. Looking through the scope, he quietly counted the Peggies in the area. Nine that he could see.

"Hey Dep, I'm counting nine of them, be careful, there might be more inside." With both vehicles parked safely out of sight, they began their silent assault. In seconds, six peggies lay scattered along the building. As Luke searched for his next target, a sudden blare of the siren caught him off guard. Without another moment wasted, the deputy came over the radio.

"Shit! They sounded the alarm, reinforcements will be headed our way, I'm gonna go disarm the alarm, you keep them off my back!" Not even a second after, the Deputy was in Luke's sight. Carefully panning throughout the area around her, he watched as she made her way to the alarm. The sound of gravel sounded the arrival of more enemies.

With a flick of his body, and a rapid series of twitches from his finger, four more bodies littered the grounds.

This went on for two more vehicles. In the middle of the second one, one had fired and a stray bullet slammed into his shoulder. As pain tore through his being, he let out a loud yell of pain.

"Hold on Luke! You get somewhere safe, they're headed your way!" The Dep's voice eas filled with worry as Luke tried to regain his bearings. White stars began to fill his vision as he tried to crawl away. He watched as a third vehicle arrived. Waiting for a moment later, everyone but the driver exited. One man began making his way up towards Luke's position.

Panic finally set in as he pulled himself to his feet. He began to stumble around. Before he could disappear into the treeline, something tackled him from behing, slamming his head into the ground. His vision blurred further from the sudden impact.

The slurred sensation of someone pulling zipties around his hands jarred his mind as he began to thrash about to escape his captors grasp. After mere moments, he was slammed into a tree by whoever had him.

"Stop moving sinner! John wants to speak to you!" Luke immediately tensed at the mere mention of his name. How did they already know who he was? How did they know where he was? How could he get away?

Question after question ran through his head. Before he knew it, he was being loaded into one of many vehicles. The sounds of gunfire surrounded him as he slammed into a meral floor, before being dragged further inside the van. He could hear the distant sound of the deputy shouting at him. With one last burst of anger, he threw his head back into whoever was slowly dragging him inside.

Not taking the time to celebrate, he jumped out and ran, stumbling every so often due to the effects of the bliss. He could hear the cultist shout behind him, but by this time all he could hear was muffles.

As he ran he became more and more aware of his darkening surroundings. It was beginning to get dark. No alone, lost, and disoriented, Luke stumbled around as he hoped to find a familiar location. Panicking he began to run.

Step after step, foot after foot, he kept going. His body begged to stop, but still, he ran. But, slowly, a voice spoke, pushing him to keep going.

"Forward. Left. Forward. Right." He began to follow what it said. He turned when told, stopped when it told him to rest. He was scared. His thoughts were sparatic and irrational. Then, it told him stop. When it did, he remembered who the voice belonged to.

He looked at where he was, a small pond, his ragged breaths shook his body as he stared at the people just feet from him. Even through the haze, Joseph's figure. His breathing istantly calmed, his body relaxed, and his panicked thoughts stopped in that moment.

With all eyes on Luke, he took a step back and bumbed into someone. In an instant, he was restrained again. His ziptied hands were pulled up, and his arms held tight.

"Dammit! Let go you bastard! I don't have time for this!" He shouted as he thrashed about. His map slipped from his bag. The loop for his rifle hung loose, as his gun still laid at the fertilizer plant. His ammo pouch spewed its contents as he threw himself about in an attempt to free himself.

"Shh, there is no reason to be afraid, you are safe." The roughness of hands sent a jolt of fear through the young man. He knew this was a bad idea, and yet, he did not try to escape them.

He watched as Joseph slowly reached for his survival knife, and on instinct, he attempted to back away. Joseph looked at the follower who was holding Luke, and he turned him. Luke clenched his eyes as he awaited death...

But it never came.

Instead Joseph had cut the zip ties that held his hands. Slowly and reluctantly, he rubbed his wrists. Joseph once again placed his hands on Luke's face again, and this time the young man did not move.

"When I look into your eyes, I see pain, sorrow, and guilt. I see a man who has prepared to give up everything. A man who hates the world. A man who has abandoned God and shut him from his life." As Joseph spoke, Luke began to hold on to every word. He was confused, scared, and overall, just tired.

Tired of life, of hardships and pain. Of people and work. Tired of everything. It's true, Luke had attempted suicide before, but stopped halfway through. There was something that picked at him, that scratched at the back of his brain. Something that told him 'Not yet.'

"Joseph, if I'm being honest. Im tired. I dont want to fight anymore. I fought all my life, and, for what? There is no fruit of my labor, no wife to come to after work, nothing. I have, nothing. What is there left for me to do?"

Joseph pulled they're foreheads together, only to feel the other shake slightly, not much, but he still noticed it.

"Tell them to go home John, I will cleanse our friend, but i will need your help." John replied with a knowing look as he went tell the peggies to return to their homes.

"Yes Joseph." With that, the others loaded up into their vehicles, and left. That left only Joseph and Luke. Joseph slowly romoved Luke's bag, and began to search for it. Luke himself was just far to tired to care.

"I know this might be hard to understand, but God took your family in order to test you." His voice was filled with understanding, he felt the same pain as the younger soul in front of him.

"No, I was just a drunk idiot." His somber tone started to crack at the end.

"No, that is the lie your Sheriff has made you believe." The instant anger that flushed through his body with a fury unlike any other.

"LISTEN HERE ASSHOLE, DON'T YOU BRING HIM INTO THIS!" Fire burned in his eyes with nothing but hate for the man in front of him. As he grabbed at Joseph's collar, John began to speak.

"Alex Wilmette broke into a house on July 12 20XX, once inside he proceded to kill twenty-two Jane Wilmette, and her twin daughters Mimi and Lexi Wilmette, bothe were only two years old." Something in Luke's mind began to click together, he began to remember things. At first it was an image of his home with flashing red and blue lights.

"The only other occupant of the home, Luke Wilmette, was at work when the attack happened." An image of the home's door opened up, and a hand came into view. Luke felt tears roll down his cheeks as he pushed away.

"N-no, shut up. Y-your l-lying to get i-in my h-head." He began to desperately plea to Joseph to make him stop. Whatever he was remembering, he didn't want to.

"Luke returned home while the cops were trying to get Alex outside. Luke proceded to run inside against the words of the police. When they entered, Luke was holding Alex, who was later revealed to be his Father, at gun point." John continued reading from a case file. Luke desperately reached for it. He doesn't know why, but as he read of the incedent, he began to remember it happening. Feelings and emotions that felt too real passed through hus mind. Was the car accident a lie?

"After several attepts to talk Luke down from it, he pulled the trigger, ending the life of his Father." Luke couldn't take anymore and crumpled into a sobbing heap on the floor. Joseph kneeled down and place a comforting hand on his back. Slowly, Joseph glanced at John as a way to tell him he could go.

As for Luke, the experience that he just remembered was vivid and clear, while the "memory" of the car accident was riddled with holes and was fuzzy when he could recall it. To add onto it, no one could ever find the file on it, and for a crash that killed three people, it made no sense that he would walk away with no injuries.

Joseph reached into the large green bag that Luke had carried, and retrieved a white covered book, the Book of Joseph. Slowly and carefully, he pulled the calming man over to the pond, and gently began to lower him into it. Luke panicked for a split second as he submerged, until his vision began to cloud again. As he sat, submerged, Josephs voice was clear to him.

Joseph watched as Luke was raised from the water, his eyes were rimmed with red. His eyes were clear, and he was no longer crying. Joseph pulled him from the pond and handed him a towel.

"Keep this book with you. Go, when you are ready, come back to me." And with that, Joseph left. Luke stood holding the white book, now alone, cold, and confused. He sat down on the ground holding the book and drifted of to sleep.


	7. Set in Motion

Joseph quietly sat in his church. In minutes, his flock would enter through the doors to attend his morning sermon. Around him stood John, Jacob, and Faith. Slowly, he stood and approached John. Taking his face in his hands, he pulled their foreheads together.

"John, you have helped him see the burden of pain, there will come a time where you must help him again." He then did the same to Faith.

"My dear Faith, you have put him on the path. You will be his guide again." He let go, and approached Jacob.

"Jacob, I will be relying on you to tear down the walls he has built around his heart."

Not another word was heard as his children entered the room. After quickly sitting themselves, they anxiously waited for Joseph to speak. A camera in the corner turned on to broadcast this mornings sermon to all of Hope County.

"My children, God has spoken to me. The panther, the one who goes by Luke, he was brought to me last night. We have shown him the truth, his past that was taken from him." A few of the women in the church gasped, while a few of the men began to grumble.

"The one he idolizes above all, the Sheriff, had taken his past from him, made him believe that he was at fault for his families death." More of the congregation became agitated, while an elderly woman began to cry into her husbands shoulder.

"When he was shown the truth, I looked into his eyes, in it, I saw betrayal, pain, sorrow, and a look of longing. Longing for a family that was ripped from him by his father." Now audible words could be heard from the crowd.

"We should go find him!"

"We need to go get him!"

"That poor boy."

"Let's show him the way!"

Joseph just watched as his flock were all for finding and helping Luke. Slowly he put his hands up to silence them.

"If you see him, do not interact with hostility, no matter how he may approach you. Speek to him, about love, about faith, and of family. Those he trust will try to take him and the lamb from us, and from god. Do not let them. And together, we will march to Eden's Gate"

~Elsewhere~

Mary May turned off the tv and turned to the three people in the room. Pastor Jerome stood in deep thought, he hadn't yet met the Park Ranger, but if the Deputy trusts him, he must be reliable. Nick was pacing quickly through the Spread Eagle, obviously nervous about what Joseph had said. Finally, Rook was sitting at the bar, this was bad.

"We need to find him, he's a really good shot with his rifle, and we cant afford to lose anyone right now anyway. Unfortunately, it sounds like every peggie in Hope County is also looking for Luke. Any idea's on where he could be?"

A scoff was heard and they all turned towards Mary May.

"He's spent time with Joseph, how do we know that he's not one of them by now?" It was a good question, one that no one knew the answer to.

"What if he's not? The Deputy is right, we need all the help we can get." Joromes strong voice traid to reason with her as Nick moved towards the door.

"Where are you going Nick?" Nick stopped and looked at the Dep. He looked around the room, and held his hands out as he answered.

"Well, I'm gonna go and figure out if Luke is one of them. It's the best we got at the moment. Joseph wants him, and if he is still one of us, I don't intend to hand him over." His answer brought a smile to Rook's face, a nod from Jerome, and a sigh from Mary May.

"That's right, let's go get 'em." Dep placed a hand on his shoulder and walked out.

"If he is on their side, we can deal with him then, until then it should be our main priority to find him." After saying that, Jerome also left leaving Nick and Mary May.

"If anything happens, it's your fault." She then went upstairs. Nick shook his head and walked outside.

And so began the fight for Luke.


	8. Captured

Luke wondered aimlessly through the woods. Should he just give himself up? Should he go back to Fall's End? What about the Jail, could he trust Whitehorse?

As he trudged throught the woods, he tried to retrace his steps from the day prior. Alone in his own world, he only realized the severity of his situation when his radio crackled to life.

"Hello Luke, we haven't spoken much yet, but know this, I come as a friend. Now, I know you must be confused. All you have to do, is come to my ranch, and I'll explain everything. I'll see you soon, whether you come yourself or your brought to me, I will hear your confession." John's voice faded from the radio.

Luke stopped dead in his tracks. Was it best to go to John's home? Would things be easier?

Soon, he exited the forest, and the unblocked sun now shone brightly in his eyes. A ways down the road, a white truck could be seen cresting the hill. A noticible black symbol could be seen on the hood but Luke could't make it out. At the same time, a plane engine could be heard. A rapidly growing yellow dot approached him from the opposite direction.

Luke could only think of one person who had availability to a plane.

Nick Rye.

In a fleeting hope, he grabbed his radio and desperately tried to contact the plane.

"This is Luke Wilmette, I an attempting to contact whoever is in the yellow aircraft. Please respond." He waited. And waited. With no response. Was he on the wrong channel? Was Nick ignoring him? Was his radio off? Question after question poured through his mind, distracting him from the vehicles that seemed to multiply and pulled up to him.

He was only made away when a Peggie grabbed him. Scared and now realizing what was happening, Luke swung and knocked the man out. Soon he was tackled ro the ground and restrained. Still, he thrashed about in a vain attempt at freedom.

A gunshot.

Two.

Three.

Suddenly the only force that seemed to be holding him down was weight, but even that was moved as he was yanked to his feet, and a rag was pressed to his mouth as he struggled. The all too familiar white stars filled his gaze as a green hue swallowed everything. He continued a rapidly failing struggle as he was dragged off into a van. His surroundings seemed to blur as he was swallowed by the bliss.

~Elsewhere~

John sat in his office. He just finished contacting Luke. He began to wonder what Luke's sin really was. Sure, Wrath seems like the most obvious, but the way his eyes looked, they sure weren't filled with wrath. They looked sad and lost. One look into Luke's eyes had told John that he had given up. Luke was on the Edge, looking over it. At any moment he could fall, and not even Joseph could save him then.

He believed that Luke's sin was Sloth. Unbeknownst to him that Luke was already on his way to John's ranch. Joseph believed that Luke was special. He was the key to the lamb, his confession had to be done with care.

John was dragged from his little world by the Deputy screaming at him over the radio.

"John, what the HELL do you thibk your doing?" She was pissed about what, he had no idea. She was the one that normally caused him problems, not the other way around. If he could figure out what had her riled up, he could use it against her.

"Ah, Deputy, to what do I owe this pleasure? Coming to confess?" John's smile grew as the Dep's voice grew louder.

"Where's Luke going! I just watched Peggies grab 'em! WHERE IS HE!" This was a welcomed surprise to John. He had imagined it would take some time to find Luke, but to know he was already on his way to John brought a smile to his face.

"Well Deputy, Luke is on his way to atonement. He will confess, and and he will reach Eden's gate, and then you will be next."

After finishing his sentence, he turned off his radio. He knew that would anger the Deputy, but at the moment he was to excited to hear Luke's confession. He quickly made his way to his front door. He had instructed all of the flock in Holland Valley that Luke would confess in John's personal confession room.

About ten minutes had passed before a van with the projects symbol pulled into his driveway. In his excitement he jogged to the vehicle at two large men stepped out of the front and began to move to the back.

"You found Luke?" John new the answer but he still wanted to hear it.

"Yes, we found him on in the middle of the road just standing there. He was holding onto this and wouldn't let go until we blissed him." John took the book from him. It was a copy of the Book of Joseph. A white copy. John carefully opened the cover to see Joseph's name written neatly on the bottom.

John carefully closed the book and looked into the back to see a dazed Luke.

"A... mazing... grace... how sweet... the sound... that... saved... a wretch... like... me..." Luke's low singing was slurred slightly by the bliss.

John reached inside and pulled out the other male, who's singing had turned into guttural humming. Slowly dragging him to the underground confession room, he had little problem hooking him up to chair.

Looking at his guest, he smiled knowing that he caught Luke, not Faith, and not Jacob. Locking the door he retreated upstairs in order to prepare for tonight.


	9. Revealed Tensions

John hurried to his basement. Today he would begin Luke's confession. When he entered the confession room, Luke was once again singing.

"I... once... was lost... but... now... I... see..." John watched him closely. The door closed itself with a loud thud, yet Luke paid it no mind. Only lifting his head when John stepped close. And that's when John seen it. Luke's tired eyes looked just like Joseph's when he had talked to the voice in his sleep.

John quickly pulled up a chair and spoke. "What did you see?"

Luke's eyes kept their focus on his knees while he spoke.

"The fire, the screams, the... Deputy. The end is brought from her. It wasn't meant to happen."

John, stunned by what he heard, knew he was telling the truth. Joseph had spoken about the end before, when the fire would rain down from the sky. The Deputy was the catalyst to the end.

John now craves Luke's confession. He wanted to know all of his crimes, from the smallest insignificant piece of stolen candy to him killing his father.

John stood up and walked over to his table, he was going to skip his usual speech about the "Power of Yes". He desperately wanted to hear Luke's confession.

"So let's start easy, tell me what's your name?" John sat next to Luke, watching the disheveled and dirty man close. Luke just looked away, not a word was said. John waited patiently, until about five minutes had passed.

"Luke, you have a part in God's plan, you can't just say no. It will happen whether you want to be or not." Both men's attention had been pulled away when a know came from the door. John angrily stood and marched over to it. Whoever it was was gonna-

"Joseph!" John's train of thought immediately halted in that moment.

"Hello John. I had heard that Luke had arrived here." John merely nodded as he stood aside. Joseph approached the contained man and sat in the chair in front of him. For an hour they sat there, Joseph waiting, and Luke staring at the floor. The first one to speak would lose, they both understood this. For what seemed like hours they sat in silence. John had left a while ago.

The silence had begun to get to Luke. Joseph knew this as he watched the other begin to shake his head back and forth as an almost bestial growl erupted from his throat.

'WHAT THE HELL DO YOU PEOPLE WANT FROM ME! WHAT YOU WANT TO TAKE SOMETHING FROM ME, I HAVE NOTHING! NOTHING DAMMIT!" Luke violently rocked the chair back and forth before it's back two legs violently broke, splintering and causing him to slam into the floor. A groan escaped him as he sat there, tired and defeated.

Joseph stood and released Luke's binding, before opening the door and ushering Luke. Cautiously, and haphazardly, he stood and sulked over to Joseph. Wrapping his hand around Luke's shoulders, he helped him upstairs.

"I know, you must be in pain. But God has chosen you, you are so important. You can help me save more than I could alone." As they approached something in Luke clicked. if only for a moment he saw him with a child in his arms, next to... a woman, her face was shadowed. Joseph was there, and the sound of thunder could be heard in the distance.

Joseph watched as Luke froze, his face in shock, as tears began to pour over his cheeks. Joseph knew the voice had spoken to Luke, he felt it at his cleansing.

"N-No, I want... I don't... it... n-no..." Joseph could only watch as the man in front of him, whatever he is seeing, begin to believe. Joseph seen it in Luke's eyes, the slight, minuscule doubt hidden in his gaze, a doubt that maybe what Joseph said, wasn't wrong. Luke snatched his bag from beside the front door, and burst through the wooden obstruction. Joseph soon followed to see Luke had been detained quickly, but was still struggling.

"Let him go, he will come back to us. He has begun to believe, soon he will see." He watched as his flock gently pulled him to his feet, and let go. Luke barreled down the driveway and continued down the road, until he was out of sight.

~Later~

John sighed heavily as he made his way to his personal confession room. He didn't understand why Joseph and let Luke go, but he wouldn't question him. If Joseph was right, Luke would be back. opening the door, something immediately caught his attention. next to the destroyed chair, was a small book. Picking it up, he examined the small leather book. It was small enough to fit in his palm.

The book itself was in poor condition the only word on it, "Willmette", was faded, barely visible. The binding was weak and falling apart. The bottom corner was burnt. John opened it and scanned the first couple pages. It became clear that this was the Journal Luke kept with him while he was in the Army. Just before he closed it. His eye caught site of the corner of a piece of paper. Flipping to that page, John realized it wasn't a piece of paper, but a photo.

The photo was of Luke, a woman, who John assumed to be his wife, and two small girls. His family, they seemed so happy, like nothing could go wrong. Flipping it over revealed a date.

"July 10 20XX, that's two days before the incident." John read before turning back to the book. The page that it was hidden in contained what seemed like garbled words until he read it.

"Time can be a cruel mistress.

In its relentless march forward it robs each of us of many things: moments, experiences, people. Time can take them all from us, in an instant.

Such things are gone forever, unless they live on within hearts, our minds, our memories.

For all its cruelty, time can also be a great teacher through the changes left behind in its wake, we can learn, we can grow, we can come to understand those thruths that have eluded us in the past.

Only then can we truly understand ourselves."

John began to think upon those words. Luke had written this days after he lost his family. But why.

An idea popped in his head as he smiled. He wondered how Luke would react if he read it on tv for all of Hope County to hear.

~Meanwhile~

Rook sat at the Spread Eagle. Luke had been missing since the attack of the fertilizer plant. She had begun to believe it to be her fault. He seemed to be a good friend of the Sheriff's, and she went and got him captured. She slammed her bottle down on the bar, causing one of the many surrounding her to topple and roll off of the bar.

"Dammit, if only i hadn't been so stupid." She muttered under her breath. Jerome seated himself next to her and began to speak.

"It's ok, even if they somehow got to him, I'm sure we can pull him back out. Right, Mary May." He looked to her for help n this situation.

"Personally, I think we should just shoot him, would be easier on us and it would help him. Win-win in my book." Just then the tv, which had nothing but static at this time, showed John in front of a fire place, probably inside his own home. Rook believed he looked like he was about to read a story to a child, or in this case, a religious cult. and the book in his hand confirmed her suspicions.

"Pain, is something that we all know, some of us just expect it, some accept it when it comes, others over come it and use it to aid other." Rook began to grow anxious, just what the hell was he getting at.

"One individual in particular, has suffered a great deal in his life. And instead of simply expecting, accepting, or overcome it, he has come to understand it. Our friend Luke, may have a greater grasp on the meaning of loss and pain than anyone else on earth, rivaling even the Father." Rook understood what was happening. John had gotten hold of sensitive information to Luke.

"Time can be a cruel mistress.

In its relentless march forward it robs each of us of many things: moments, experiences, people. Time can take them all from us, in an instant.

Such things are gone forever, unless they live on within hearts, our minds, our memories.

For all its cruelty, time can also be a great teacher through the changes left behind in its wake, we can learn, we can grow, we can come to understand those thruths that have eluded us in the past.

Only then can we truly understand ourselves."

Rook stood in shock, just what the hell has Luke gone through in life where he could write something like that. No, now this must be some elaborate scheme John cooked up. She stormed outside not even finishing the broadcast. She whistled for Boomer and hopped in the Widowmaker, It was time to find Luke.

~Elsewhere~

Whitehorse stood in shock, that was something that Luke wrote before Whitehorse could get him to move on. If John had gotten that, What was going to happen to Luke.

"Dammit, I shouldn't have had him help Dep out."

Virgil walked into the room after watching it in his office.

"Sheriff, it's not your fault. If he hadn't have gone there, he'd be struggling against Jacob. At least in Holland Valley, he has the Deputy he can lean on for assistance."

Whitehorse knew he was right. He didn't like it, but he had the prison to look after. He would have to hope that Rook could get him outta there.

~Joseph's Church~

Joseph sat, praying for the safety and return of Luke. He prayed for the safety of the Lamb, which he had yet to see again. He prayed for his flock, he hoped for their safety in the time to come.

"It has begun."


	10. Finale (Holland Valley)

Rook Had Searched for Luke for the past Three days, John had been quiet about him, so it was unlikely he had him. John's favorite thing now a days was yelling at her for her "antics" in his region. She had just blown up his precious "YES" sign, and, oh, how she wished to see his face when he found out.

"Your actions have consequences, Deputy. I've gathered all your friends here in Fall's End to Atone for your sins." Loud yelling could be heard in the background.

"He has nothing to do with this! Let him go!" Jerome's voice could be heard in the background as multiple voices said one word that stopped her train of thought.

Luke.

The mention of his name froze her in panic. Had he shown up at Fall's End while she was away. Did he just show up? Where had he been all this time? All of these and more had flown through her head as the world around her had seemed to slow.

"Ah, it seems our friend Luke has decided to join us. Get the needle ready, I know exactly what his sin is." Rook gritted her teeth and pushed the pedal to the metal.

"Your welcome to join us. After all, if it weren't for you, none of them would be in this predicament... " Rook was half tempted to pick up her radio and give John a good yell, but she knew that's what he wanted.

"This is your last chance to say Yes, Deputy. Don't keep us waiting too long Deputy."

~At Fall's End~

Luke struggled to uproot himself from the grasps that were forcing him on the ground. He watched in fear as John grasped his tattoo gun, and heard it hum to life. John smiled and walked closer. Luke had no idea how this man had managed to subdue all of Fall's End, but he knew something was wrong as soon as he entered the town.

"Luke, I had a lot of time to think upon your story. I mean, you did leave me your autobiography. A simple man who simply wanted to happily live with your family. Then leaving them in their time of need." Luke began to violently thrash around in an doomed attempt to escape. Even if he had managed to escape the two holding him down, many more would detain him.

"You know, I admire some of the things you wrote down in your journal. My favorite had to be the one, oh, how did it go, 'A man's back is his weakest spot, therefor he should only bear it to those who are weaker and need protecting. It stands as a beacon of hope to those surrounding you, telling them that you will stand between them and Harm's way'. It really speaks volume about you. So much so, that I'm going to put your sin across the top of your back to show those you protect that even you are not perfect. Flip him."

With only a nod the two large men picked him up, taken the opportunity, he pulled himself free and lifted his fist in an attempt to strike John, only to once again be slammed into the ground.

"Stop John! Let him go, he has nothing to do with this!" Jerome shouted from his spot before being silenced by the meaty hand of the Peggie next to him.

"See, you just don't understand. This has EVERYTHING to do with him. Joseph was told by the voice, Luke is special. He just doesn't see it yet." John's smile had yet to leave his face this entire time. He hoped that the Deputy would take just a little longer to get here so he could enjoy this moment just a bit longer. He had won. The Deputy has had her fill of fun, and she would soon atone, along with Luke. And it was John, that made it happen. Not Jacob, and Not Faith. It was little John that had brought the Lamb and the Panther home.

Staring into the hate filled eyes of Luke, John couldn't help but smile wider.

"Wipe that smug smile off your lips you bastard, when I get up, I'm gonna shove my foot so far up your ass that I'm gonna have to pull my boots off through your mouth."

"No, no, no Luke! Your making me doubt what your sin is. Just face it, you failed to save those you were meant to protect. You killed the man that killed your family. That was God's test and you failed it. Now you just go through each day just like the last. You and me, were the same."

John knelt down and pressed the needle into Luke's back, slowly carving out each letter. John could feel Luke slowly giving up with each letter. His struggling got less erratic until he had stopped all together. When he finished, the sound of screeching tires resounded from motioned for the two followers next to him to move Luke to the others.

Luke hung his head in defeat as they dragged him towards the podium. Jerome started whispering to him but was soon cut off by Mary May.

"Save your breath, he's probably already one of them. 's just playing the part. Don't believe him."

"Mary, why are you like this, you didn't say any of this when John had the Deputy, why say it now." Jerome refuted in a disappointed tone. Just then, Rook burst through the doors only to be met with the butt of a gun.

A short time later she must have come to. Luke only knew this because John started talking.

"Hold still... It's supposed to say 'Wrath' not 'rat'. Sin must be exposed so that it may be absolved." Luke watched on as John branded Rook. The pain from his own sin bearing down on his shoulders reminded him of where he was at all times. He had come to Hope County to help in a simple arrest, only to find himself in the middle of a war. Then finding out that the man that he looked up to had made him forget his past. Deep down, something began to build within Luke.

Resentment.

Not for the Seeds, not for his father, but for Whitehorse. Luke had begun to take Joseph's words to heart. Was this where he was meant to be? Was the people around him only trying to take from him, to blind him from the truth. He was only brought from his thoughts when a white book appeared in front of him. Jerome looked at him with eyes of sadness. Just a week and a half prior, the man in front of him was filled with so much hope and determination, now reduced to a disheveled mess.

"Our devoted..." John began, but Jerome refused to repeat. "...We are gathered here to bear witness..." When Jerome again refused to repeat, he signaled for a peggie to hit him. Both Mary May and Rook lunged forward before also being hit. Luke watched as Jerome picked up another book from the floor.

"Hehehehehe... Let's try that again." John laughed before restarting.

"Our devoted. We are gathered here to bear witness."

"Our devoted. We are gathered here to bear witness." Jerome repeated, if only in a mumble.

"To those willing to atone for their sins."

"To those willing to atone for their sins."

"Will you, Luke Wilmette, place your hand upon the word of Joseph?"

"Will you, Luke Wilmette, place your hand upon the word of Joseph?"

Luke looked up and spit on John. Stopping the peggie from slamming the gun into Luke. He smiled and walked over to a candle.

"See, Luke. You never do what is needed of you. That is your sin. I didn't want to have to do this, but..." John pulled a folded piece of paper out of his pocket and showed it to Luke. His eyes widened in fear as he stared into the eyes of his family.

"What are you..." He watched as John held it above the candle, and it caught fire.

"N-No! Stop! YES! YES DAMMIT PUT IT OUT PLEASE!" John laughed as he pinched the fire out, a large part of the the top left corner had been burnt, removing half of his wife's face.

"See, was that so hard. I wouldn't have had to do that in the first place if you had just said yes in the first place. But I'm not sure if I heard you correctly did you guys?" He asked his followers as they shook their heads no.

"Oh, for fuck's sake John, he said yes!" Rook shouted in anger.

"Why the hell are you sticking up for that traitor Rook, he's just gonna stab you in the back when he gets the chance!" Rook looked at her in anger.

"Ladies, you'll both get your chances soon, but I need you to repeat what you said Luke." John said as he returned his attention to Luke. The younger male murmured something under his breath in response. John merely hummed and moved the picture back closer to the Flame.

Luke quickly placed his hand on the book after he pulled it from the peggies hand and shouted. "YES! I Will Atone" His cry of desperation reached John's ears quickly.

"Yes, YES! That is the power of Yes, feel the guilt just wash away, now we can rip it from you!"

John held his hand out and was given a pocket knife, Luke was once again forced to the ground on his stomach as he felt the cool metal enter his skin.

Rook, Jerome, and Nick began to cry out.

"No! No!"

"John, i swear you son of a bitch, you'll par for this" Rook said through her teeth. Her veins could be seen in her neck from how tight they were clenched.

Luke felt a tear as he caught the glimpse of his flesh be pulled off and soon be replaced by fist aid.

"That is the power of Yes. The Power to take away your sins. The power to set you free."

Luke watched through squinted eyes as John stapled his flesh to the wall.

The next few minutes were a blur. When he finally had a grip on reality again, he climbed to his feet to find that he was alone. Shakily standing to his feet, he stumbled outside and walked to the Spread Eagle. He was surprised to find Lucy still parked to the side. Climbing on, he prepared to head of to his original destination. The Whitetail Mountains.

~Elsewhere~

John watched as the Deputy drove away towards his bunker. This was it, this was how he dies. as he waited death he heard the sound of a vehicle pulling up, he was too weak at this point to open his eyes. So he waited for them to kill him. Only to feel the sensation of being lifted.

"Come on... don't die yet." The person's voice was feint in his ears, whoever they were, they had come to late. John only withed that he could see who was trying to save him.

~Later~

When John came to, he was surprised. He most certainly believed that he would have died. He stood up to find the person who had saved him, but pain wracked his body when he stood. The door soon opened to reveal Joseph.

"J-Joseph, did you-" Joseph put his hand up.

"No, I am not the one who saved you." Joseph sat down next to John's bed.

'Who Did? Where am I?" John began to ask questions before Joseph silenced him.

"You are safe at the compound. As for who saved you, he did. He asked us to keep it a secret." Joseph stood up and placed three things on John's bedside table. Almost an hour had passed before John reached for the items. On top was a letter, however sloppily it was written he still read it.

 _John,_

 _If this message finds you, it means I wasn't too late._

 _I went back to get you copy of Joseph's book, and left my Journal with you, since you said you liked some of the stuff I had written. I don't want it anymore since it reminds me of my failures. I left something else in it. Ill be back to get it._

 _Sloth_

John picked up the Journal, and Luke's picture fell out. He noticed that most of his wifes face had been burnt away. Flipping int over revealed a message.

"When it's time to end this"


	11. Joseph's Sermon

Luke rode silently into the Whitetails, recalling what he had just done.

~Flashback~

Luke tried desperately to keep Lucy steady as he rode on. But something in the sky caught his attention. A set of parachutes were descending from the sky. Curiosity got the better of Luke, and he decided to see what it was all about. A few gunshot's erupted when the parachutes and whoever they were carrying landed.

Luke, out of precaution slowed down, until he seen a vehicle leave that area. Afterwords he sped to where he hoped whatever just happened, happened. In the middle of the small field, he found one of the last people he expected to.

John Seed.

All of his instincts were telling him to leave him for death. To let him rot for what he had done. But another part of him was yearning to help him. The part of him that accepted Joseph's teachings. The part of him that sorrowed for what John had suffered through. A part of him that wanted to tell him everything was gonna be alright.

Luke stood there warring with himself on what to do. Eventually he shook his head and lifted John.

"Come on... don't die yet." He told John. Luke felt like he was gonna regret his decision. Pulling him onto his bike and securing John to himself, he left for a small bunker he had found while trying to return to Fall's End. John had long since passed out, and his breath was weakening. Luke took notice of this and sped up as much as possible. Many times had come where he had almost fell over because of his own injury.

Arriving at the bunker he had to get passed the problem of getting John down there. Remembering the rope in his bag, he made a makeshift harness and slowly lowered john into the bunker, before descending himself.

"You... Have... Been... A... Royal... Pain in my ass, but it wouldn't have sat well with me if I just let you die. Now let's get those wounds taken care of." Luke slowly took of John's shirt and overcoat.

"What the hell am I doing?" Luke asked himself as he pulled out his first aid kit. Applying peroxide to a rag, he began to clean the wound, John grunted as he did so. Which was good, it meant he was still alive.

Applying pressure, he began to wrap Johns wounds in bandages.

Finally Finishing, he decided to go back to the church and retrieve John's book. Hopefully he didn't wake up while he was gone.

~Later~

As Luke climbed back down the ladder, he began to think about just how lucky he was that no one was in Fall's End. Now he just had to figure out how to get John back out of the bunker. Holding his mouth over John's mouth revealed that his breath had stabilized. Once again fitting the rope around him, he began the arduous task of lifting him out of the bunker. About halfway up, Luke began to feel blood leak down his back, signaling he had opened up his wounds again. Finally pulling John from the opening, Luke laid back on the grass, the light flow of blood seeming to slow again, Luke willed himself to stand.

"Starting to think, I should've just left you to die. Would've been easier. I just hope this doesn't come back to bite me in the ass." Luke then fixed John to himself again. The flow became a little faster as they drove.

Surprisingly enough to Luke, they were soon pulling up to Joseph's compound. Luke's vision had grown blurry. Two Peggies approached him on his bike, and he only motioned to the man on his back.

"My God, It's John! Get the Father!" The larger of the two shouted as he made his way to John. Quickly undoing the ropes, he noticed the large red stain that was still Growing on Luke's dingy white shirt.

"Just take him so I can go, I don't want to stay here any longer than I have to. The man only nodded as he carefully took John off of the bike as two people appeared with the stretcher, Joseph close behind them.

"Luke, do you know what you did." Joseph studied the man on the bike as he fought back a smile.

"God had given you the test of saving John," Joseph slowly held Luke's face in his hand's, and only then did he realize how cold he was, despite the Montana heat. "and you did."

Luke pulled away and began trying to turn his bike to leave. By now the world was a swirl of colors that seemed to be fading, and Joseph's compound was the last place he wanted to be when he passed out. He began pushing off the ground in an attempt to steady himself.

Joseph only watched as members of his flock rushed to his side when he and his bike collapsed, Joseph watched in horror as his blood slowly pooled around him on the ground. He quickly made his way over Luke and knelt down, ripping his shirt away. a portion of his flesh had been torn away, Joseph immediately realized that it had been Luke's sin.

John had told him Luke's sin when he let him go. John believed it was Sloth. Time would tell if he was correct. Joseph retreated back into the church to pray for both John's and Luke's well beings. Tomorrows sermon will be a special one.

~Morning~

Luke groaned as he slowly came to. His body was wracked with pain as he tried to recall the events of the previous day. Before he could fully recall everything, he was shook from his thoughts by the sound of bells.

Church Bells.

Luke quickly scrambled from his bed, ignoring his pain., grabbing his backpack, he noticed the clean white shirt that was on top. Looking at his own body. He found it wrapped in clean bandages, and missing his old shirt. Quickly donning the new shirt, he flung his bag over his back.

Quickly exiting the building, his suspicions were confirmed, he was in Joseph's compound. He quickly found Lucy parked next to the church.

Running over he was overjoyed to find that she was unchained, and seemingly untouched.

But before he could leave, He heard it. The song that had been in the back of his mind since he arrived at Hope County. The sound of Multiple people singing it.

"Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound. That saved a wretch like me."

Luke found himself slowly moving towards the door, unable to stop. He hesitated as he stood, the inside of the Church had fallen quiet. As he pushed the door open, he found that almost all eyes had turned to him. In the back of the church, he could see the outline of who he assumed to be Jacob and Faith. Joseph had his back to him.

"When a man gives everything for his Country, his Family, and the Future of Tomorrow, and everything is taken from him by his Country, his Family, and the Mistakes of the Past, he truly has nothing left to give, and no one left to care. You had written that in this book." Joseph slowly turned to Luke, and in his hand was his journal. Faith stood and quickly made her way over to him, pulling him to the front.

"But you are wrong. You wrote this in a time of dire need. When you thought everything had been taken from you, and everyone had turned against you, you were wrong. God had never turned his back on you. His love had never been lost for you. God did not speak to you, because he was testing you." Joseph now stood face to face with Luke. Small sniffles could be heard coming from his flock. Faith hung from his arm with a look of sincerity dancing in her eyes.

But Luke, Luke stood there, disbelief and doubt written all over his face. Even now, Luke stood rigid, eyes scanning the people he could see, waiting for someone to lunge out and attack.

"No one will hurt you here. You are safe." He began to lead Luke to the front pew. Hesitantly, he sat down, with Faith doing the same next to him. That is where he stayed. Luke tried to ignore Joseph at first, but more and more, he began to listen.

Faith took notice when he leaned forward, and did Joseph, his face, filled with wonder and hope as he listened to the Father. Faith hoped that being here would show Luke what they were trying to do. The people that they were trying to save.

When it was over Luke seemed to snap out of whatever trance he was in, and he quickly made his way out the door. Joseph followed suit as he tried to talk to Luke. This was Joseph's chance to show Luke just how important he was.

When he got outside, Luke was trying to start his dirt bike. Joseph slowly approached him and spoke.

"Where are you going, if I may ask?"

"Whitetails, I've stayed longer than I should. I know what you do Joseph. You give people hope, and people are counting on you. Well I'm the same way."

Joseph nodded in understanding.

"I wanted to talk to you, before you left." Luke sighed as he stopped trying to get his vehicle running.

"About?" Luke looked skeptical and apprehensive.

"I would like to thank you for saving John. For bringing him home. I am grateful." He pulled his own and Luke's forehead together, and Luke sighed, his body shivering as tears began to escape his eyes.

"Joseph, I know what I'm supposed to do. The people of Hope county want me to fight back to do what they want, but i don't know how much longer I can keep fighting. I just... I just..." Luke began sobbing as Joseph's flock started to exit his Church. Some started to surround them as Luke wept. One in particular, the one who was at the gate placed his hand on Luke's shoulder before walking away.

"You don't have to fight anymore. Stay here, your friend's will understand." Joseph tried to reach out to Luke in hope's that he would see.

Luke reached into his bag and retrieved two objects. "Give these to John, Put the picture that is in the letter somewhere in my journal. And, I went back to get his copy of your book." When Joseph grabbed the items, Luke Pulled away and drove off. Joseph looked at the white book. Three small fingerprints were on the front with blood. Joseph watched as Luke stopped at the entrance and turned, giving one final wave goodbye, he left.

Soon, Luke would see his purpose. Joseph saw this during the sermon, Luke held onto every word with earnest curiosity, he just needed...

One...

Last...

Push...


	12. The FANG Center

Luke's Bike climbed as he made his way to what he hoped would be the F.A.N.G. Center. Without his map, he would be traveling Hope County blind. Just getting from John's Ranch to Fall's End took him four days. Continuing on, he seen a tell-tale giant bear in the sky.

Reaching for his radio, he prepared to try and reach a man name Eli. Luke was contacted earlier by the deputy and some man named Dutch.

~Earlier~

Luke had just crossed into the Whitetail Mountains, and he was getting anxious.

"Hello, Luke are you on this frequency?" The sound of a gruff old man voiced over his radio.

"Yeah, and who might this be?" His voice was untrusting, who the hell would be calling him?

"Hey Luke, it's Rook! Where the hell are ya?" Luke smiled at the female's voice that came over the frequency.

"Well Rook, I would tell ya, but it's gonna be real dangerous." Luke could feel her roll her eye's through the radio.

"Your saying that the mark on my collarbone isn't from a dangerous dead man?" Luke hesitated to answer, to Rook and everyone else, he was dead. But in reality, he was safe and sound at Joseph's compound.

"Y-yeah, I-I guess your right."

"Hey kid, you alright there?" Dutch's voice came over the radio again surprising Luke.

"Alright Rook, I'm heading up to the Whitetails to deal with Jacob. I guess i really can't stop you from heading out this way."

"Hold on tell me wear you are!" Rook began to gather her things before heading out.

"Just listen to the cultist chatter, you'll figure it out." Rook sighed as she sat back down.

"Go on kid, I'll keep in touch and tell you if anything happens. Hey Luke, there's someone up there who could use some help. His name is Eli, I'll tell him your coming." Luke smiled as he pocketed his radio.

Stopping his vehicle, he put the kickstand down, and slowly made his way over to the ledge. Having only his pistol, he realized now how dangerous this mission would actually be. Looking through his binoculars. three machine gun nests, two alarms, one sniper, two , one Heavy, and 2 wolves, why were there wolves here?

Slowly making his way down, he kept to the evening shadows, and maneuvered. desperately trying to stay hidden, his advance was stopped when he heard a low growl. Quickly turning right, he had just enough time to see a wolf jump on him. Quickly moving his arms into position, he flipped the animal and snapped it's neck.

That would be his undoing as it let out a loud yelp when he did.

"Hey, you hear that?"

"Yeah, I'm gonna go check it out."

Luke laid low to the ground as a peggie made her way over to his spot. Pushing a little bit of brush out of the way, the body of a dead Judge came into view. Opening her mouth, all she felt was a hand cover it before a knife found it's way into her neck.

Luke slowly laid the body down and closed her eyes, leaving streaks of blood along her face. Securing her assault rifle, he made is way around to the front, before the sound of a dreaded siren filled his ears.

~Elsewhere~

Rook drove through the whitetails, avoiding the main roads in hopes of finding Luke. Her hand hovered over her radio waiting for Dutch to call about any information on his location. Almost an hour and a half has past and nothing about Luke's location has come up. Fearing the worst, she begins to turn around as Dutch's voice breaks the suffocating silence around her.

"Hey kid, I'm hearing all sorts of chatter on the Peggies frequency about an attack on the F.A.N.G. Center, I'm thinking it might be your friend. Eli said he'll keep an eye out for your friend. Dutch out." Rook sighed in relief as she answered back.

"Thanks Dutch, I'm heading there now, Rook out." Slamming on the gas, she pulled out onto one of the wider roads and barreled down the winding roads to the F.A.N.G. Center. Stopping early, she climbed to a higher point and pulled out Luke's rifle. A quick scan of the area showed Luke was held down right inside of a giant Cheeseburger.

Multiple vehicles pulled up around the compound and there were too many for him to take out on his own.

Panning back to Luke, she watched as he slowly exited the cheeseburger with his hands up. She watched in worry as his clip ejected from his pistol as he chucked it to the ground. Two peggies quickly detained him as she fired the first round. The spray of red surprised bot Luke and the peggies as Luke dove for cover, securing the weapon that the now dead cultist had.

Firing continued from both sides as the Deputy provided cover fire for Luke, until there were only two left standing.

"To any Whitetail Militia who hear this, this is Park Ranger Luke Wilmette, the F.A.N.G. Center has been liberated. I repeat, the F.A.N.G. Center is ours!" Luke clipped his radio back to his belt loop as he watched the cliffline for any sign of the sniper who had helped him.

He scoffed when the Deputy stood up and began to wave at him.

"And just what the hell are you doing?" He yelled, although he doubted she heard him a second later her voice came over his radio.

"I don't know, but from up here it looked like I just saved your ass!" the next voice that was heard stopped them both.

"Look what we have here, an Deputy who thinks she's a soldier, and a sniper who still thinks he's in the war." Jacob's voice taunted them from over the radio.

"Listen here assho-"

"Jacob, you know as well as I do, war doesn't stop for a soldier until he dies." Luke's solemn voice said one sentence, but it showed just Rook just how much he had seen in his time of service.

"Tell me something Luke, when you go to bed at night what do you see, hmm? Happy dreams of a peaceful life, or maybe the smiling faces of your family?" Rook knew what Jacob was trying to do, angering Luke into a rash reaction. She clicked her radio on to give Jacob an earful, but was silenced before she could do so.

"The face of a child through the view of my scope. He couldn't have been older than five, but there he was with a god damned suicide vest on, running at my guys. That's what I see when I sleep. Tell me you sadistic fuck, what do you see, huh." Deputy watched as multiple vehicles pulled into the Center, none bearing the Project's insignia.

"It doesn't matter, I know your weakness, your weak, and my hunters are coming for you. But I think I'll take the little Deputy first." Jacob's voice echoed in his head as he looked back at the Deputy.

"Dep, I need you to go to the Henbane and help the Sheriff."

"Luke, I can't do-"

"Shut up and just do it! I'll keep in touch with Dutch, but the last thing I need is for you to get caught, no arguments." Luke watched as she stomped her foot before storming off.

"Are you the Park Ranger?" Luke turned around when he was addressed.

"Yeah, and I'm speaking to?"


	13. The Whitetail Militia

Luke turned to find out who had addressed him.

"And who might you be?"

"I'm Eli, leader of the Whitetail Militia." His dark brown hair framed his face, shadowing it a bit as he stood there.

"Don't take this to hard, but your an Idiot, if your the leader, Jacob is sure to try and kill you while you are out." Luke shook his head and began gathering ammo for the machine gun he had swiped.

"Dutch said I needed to find you, said you could help a lot out here." Eli put a hand on Luke's shoulder only for it to be shrugged off.

"Don't take what he says to heart. I was in Holland Valley before this, and I was only a hindrance. The real hero is the Deputy, and right now she's heading to Faith's region. I'm gonna be heading out to the Veteran's Center here soon."

Eli's hand came down harder this time, drawing the attention of all nearby Whitetails. Luke turned around only to find the serious look that was in his eyes and on his face.

"No, I'm not gonna let you do that. It's suicide, you're trying to attack Jacob's headquarters now? You'll be captured or killed before you step foot on the premises. Luke just stared at the man before sighing. He was letting his anger and his fear for the Deputy's safety make him act rashly.

"Your right, I need to cut off their resources first, capturing their depots would not only give us critically needed supplies, but it will also tighten our hand around their neck. Alright, I have a plan, but i need a map." Eli just shook his head and walked off towards one of the vehicles.

"We're heading back to the Wolf's Den. Grab your bike and follow us." Eli closed the door, but turned when Luke came running up.

"No you can't just take me back to your HQ, Jacob's probably got snipers watching me by now, THAT would be suicide." Luke's panicked face pleaded with Eli as the truck began to pull away.

"I know, but we'll lose them."

~Later~

Eli listened as the sound of Luke's bike came through the trees, before bursting out of the treeline nearby. Spitting out leaves, he stood up and turned his bike off, before concealing it under some camouflage tarp nearby.

"Welcome to your new home away from home, Park Ranger." Luke scoffed and rolled his eyes as he climbed down.

"Yeah yeah, so what needs done around here that yours truly can help with?" A kid entered from one of the other rooms and walked up to Luke.

"So your the Park Ranger that was fighting John, cool. Name's Wheaty."

"Luke, pleasure to meat ya. So what did you guys have in mind for your next attack?" Luke leaned over a table as Wheaty, Eli, and another gathered around the table.

"Well since you're here, I'd like for your help on this one. Jacob's been using the Grand View Hotel as a brainwashing center, taking both Whitetail and innocent people in there and turning them into soldiers. Tomorrow, we're gonna raid it and get whoever we can outta there. Are you in Luke?" Eli looked over at Luke hopeful as the ex-soldier's eyes scanned the map before pointing at a few locations around the hotel and mumbling to himself.

"Is there a spare rifle around here I can have?" Luke said as he backed up and began to scratch his stubble that was beginning to grow longer.

"Yeah, we should have one around here, why?" Eli eyed Luke suspiciously, wondering on what the ex-militant was planning.

"Alright, I'll head there an hour earlier with the sniper, and I'll scout out the area, if it's all clear, I'll give the call, if it's not clear, I'll make it clear, then give you the call." Eli and the other Whitetail shook they're heads, this man was absolutely crazy.

"Do you have a god complex?" The man asked Luke. Before any arguing could break out, Eli held his hand up.

"He has a fair point Walker, if we can get rid of all of Jacob's soldiers that are there, we'll have some breathing room. Alright Luke, you call us when you get there tomorrow, and a two minute check in until we get there." Eli was nervous about this plan, he had been having a streak of bad luck recently, and he couldn't afford to lose anyone, there could be very little gain for this mission, and it was well outweighed by the risk, but they had to take it. He just hoped he didn't lose Walker, or Wheaty. He didn't like it but if push comes to shove, he would prefer Luke to be the one to bite the bullet.

~Morning~

Luke woke up and carefully stretched, trying to calm himself. Instead of sleeping in the bunker, he decided to rope himself to a branch and sleep in a tree. The nice cool air helped him think and to keep him asleep. Unfortunately last night had seen a nightmare.

Luke was back in Iraq, staring through his scope at a child with a bomb vest. Waking up he almost fell from his tree.

"Hey, you Ok up there?" A voice called through the darkness.

"Who is it that's talking? Can't exactly see if your friend or foe." A moment of silence filled the air as he waited for a response. There was the sound of leaves crunching, and then the cling of two glasses hitting one another.

"Tammy Barnes, I'm with the Whitetails. I heard you panicking over the cameras, and came out to see what was wrong." Her voice didn't stutter, so Luke believed she spoke the truth, but he couldn't help but laugh.

"Then what's with the beers? Not the best weapon of choice." Her laugh came from below and it brought a smile to his face.

"No, Eli told me earlier that you're ex-military, so I figured it was a nightmare. The beers are so I could talk you into coming down." Luke laughed loudly this time, one thing for certain, Hope County had a fair array of people.

"Alright, I'mma comin'." Luke descended the tree. Tammy was there to greet him on the ground with an arm extended, holding his beer.

"So, Luke, what do you think about Hope County?" Her voice was genuine in it's question as Luke sipped from his beer.

"Well, the scenery is nice, can't say the welcoming committee was the same though." Tammy let out a short giggle as she drank from her own beer.

"And the Deputy?" Luke froze at her question, a light pink began to cover her cheeks as he drank, he didn't notice it but Tammy sure did.

"I have no idea what your talking about, she's my partner, so I hope she got to the Henbane safe." He quickly took another swig from his cold drink as she stared at him skeptically.

"Uh-huh, that's not what your face says, or are you just that much of a lightweight?" Luke denied it in his mind, his wife was the only woman for him, Right?

"Some of the girl's said they seen you telling the Deputy that she should help against Faith, since it would be easier, face it, you love her." Luke looked down, was she right, his heart did seem to skip a beat when she said his name, but what about his wife, he still loved her?

"M-Maybe. Just maybe."

"Well, I'm gonna go back inside, you have a good night. Oh, and by the way, I think you two could make a cute couple." With that she retreated back inside. Luke just sat there, warring internally with his feelings. As the sun came up, Luke heard the door open, and Eli step out.

"We're gonna postpone the attack, scouts said they seen a bunch of vehicles pull in, Jacob's likely there. I'll keep you posted." Eli then went back inside. Luke once again was returned to silence, and just waited with his thoughts. Reaching down and pulling his radio out, he switched to Dutch's channel.

"Hey Dutch, can you send a message to Rook for me?"


	14. Grand Design

Luke awoke the third morning after arriving to the bustle of people coming from inside the bunker. Slowly stretching, he looked to his right so see the sun barely peeking over the horizon and through the trees. Luke slowly descended the gnarled tree he has been taking refuge in, and made his way to the Wolf's Den entrance. Slowly maneuvering past the crowed entrance, He scanned over the top of the crown trying to spot Eli, before a hand landed on his shoulder, startling him a bit.

Luke was visibly tense, as Dutch was unable to get in touch with Rook, but she was tough, she probably just lost her radio.

"Hey, Luke, Eli's been lookin' for ya." Tammy began dragging Luke toward's the back of the bunker. Some people nodded their head, at him, while others ignored him completely. Luke, had been inside a few times, but he had no recollection of there being this many people inside oh the bunker.

"Hey, Tammy, is it me, or are there more people here than usual?" She slowed down as they came to a small room which housed a couch, a pair of bunk beds, and an arcade machine, to name a few things.

"It's just a check-in, we do it to make sure everyone's safe and sound." She turned around when she could no longer pull Luke, as he had stopped himself. His look of pure confusion stirred her own inside her.

"That's just stupid, if someone gets followed here, the Wolf's den would be finished. That's too much of a risk to take, Jacob would be all over this place if he knew about this 'check-in'." Luke motioned with his hand in a small fit of anger. How could any body be so stupid? He was glad he had sent Dep away, she was much safer with Whitehorse.

"Ah, good. Just the person I was looking for." Eli stood up from the couch and placed a hand on Luke's shoulder, which was quickly shoved off by the confused male.

"Eli what the hall are you thinking, having this many people showing up here would raise alarm's in anyone who has the slightest bit of common sense!" Eli held up a finger as he led Luke to the couch and sat down.

"Look, I brought all these guys here because they are helping me plan a raid on the Veteran's Center. Unfortunately though, that looks like it's still a ways out." His head lowered as he talked. An attack on either HQ could spell the undoing for either side. The Wolf's Den just doesn't have the amount of man power to hold off an attack from Jacob's soldiers, and an attack on the Veteran's center is the last thing that Jacob expects to happen, hopefully.

"But we'll have to put that on the back burner for a while, Jacob's convoy left the Hotel about an hour ago. Get yourself some coffee and something to eat, we're planning on heading out in two hours, so you might wanna head over there soon." Luke shook his head before stretching again, multiple satisfying pops could be heard as he sighed in relief.

"Anyone in particular that you know are there? Because if so, you might wanna be careful if they knew of this place." Luke said as he wiped his hands on his pants. One of his fingers catching in one of the new holes in the brown fabric. Eli sat for a minute, thinking of anyone who could be an issue and is currently missing. Shaking his head and opening his eyes, he turned back to Luke, who in turn nodded and left the room.

"Alright, your the boss. I'll head out as soon as I finish my coffee." He called back, taking notice of the bunker, which had cleared out as he spoke to Eli. Grabbing a quick cup of the black, caffeinated substance, he scoffed at it's staling taste. "Reminds me of the coffee I had in the Army." Retrieving the rifle that had been left buy the doorway for him, he stepped into the sunlight, having to shield his eyes from the sudden light change.

Taking in a deep whiff of air, he smiled in content at the woodsy scent that filled his nostrils

"Hey, Luke, you better not die, I'm starting to like you." Tammy called from the bunker door before retreating back inside before he could answer.

"Yeah? Well, no promises." Luke carefully walked over to the camouflage tarp and ripped it off, revealing his green bike, who he had nicknamed Lucy. Revving her engine, he tore of towards the Grand View hotel, stopping just a little under a mile down the road. Suddenly becoming aware of the fact that he was alone in enemy territory, brought back a feeling of unease.

Watching his surroundings, he disappeared into the forest line and made his way to a spot where he can see the Hotel clearly. "Brings back memories from my month in Kabul, what a hell of a month that was." Peering through the scope he counted a minuscule two peggies at the front talking, for their brainwashing center, they sure didn't seem like they wanted it.

Quickly silencing them with a bullet each, he moved to a new vantage point and waited, when no body came in or out for a half hour, Luke sighed in disappointment. reaching for his radio, he was hit with a sudden feeling to enter the building. Ignoring it he radioed Eli back at HQ.

"Hey, Eli, it's clear from what I see, start heading this way, I'll keep you posted."

He didn't really expect a response, and was surprised at what he heard.

"We're already here. What, did you expect us to leave you alone? Your a Whitetail now, and we protect our own." Luke laughed and piddled with the button on his backpack before returning with his own message.

"Sweet! Does this mean i get a cool patch or a button! I got one fro the guys in the Henbane too, Now I'm a Cougar, and a Deer!" Sharing a laugh, he watched as him and three other's one of which he remembered being Wheaty, and, Walker, that doesn't sound right, following behind.

Luke himself rushed over to meet them. "You S.O.B. Eli, do you not trust me." The look on Luke's face revealed just how offended he actually was.

"It's not that I don't trust you, it's that I don't trust Jacob. Let's get moving." Luke sighed in relief and followed Eli with his pistol drawn. Entering the front doors, the light scent of of something terrible began to tickle the noses of the four present. The central area of the building was in ruins. What at one time would've been a beautiful lobby, now held fences, shattered windows, and broken railings. Eli, held a hand to stop and pointed up, where the sound of a sound could be heard playing from one of the rooms.

Signaling for everyone to stay silent, Luke took the lead and climbed the closest stairwell to the sound. Quietly climbing to the third floor, they found the building eerily quiet and seemingly abandoned. A sense of dread slowly swept over the member's of the Whitetail Militia, and they quickened their pace toward the song. Arriving at the door that concealed the source, Eli and Luke took the sides of the door.

One final look around and Luke began to count down with his fingers.

3...

2...

1...

With a swift motion Luke kicked the door open and entered the room, only to find the bodies of three people scattered along the floor. The foul stench from earlier now invaded their senses as the took in the scene.

Luke plugged his nose in an attempt to stop the stench.

"Jesus the stench." Wheaty cried as he walked in.

"Been stewing in their filth for days. Walker, get some windows open." Walker quickly made his way there as Luke knelt down and checked the first man's pulse. Nothing.

"Someone shut that music off." Eli seemed a bit disappointed by the outcome of this raid.

"Sorry Eli, I don't think any of them made it." Sorrow dripped from Luke's voice as he began to think, just why would Jacob come for three Whitetails, it didn't make any sense.

"Christ... It's Sully, when'd they get him." Luke walked past Wheaty to the third person and began to stand their chair.

"OH SHIT!" Was all Luke cried as the chair slammed back into the ground, a moan escaping the lips of the Junior Deputy.

"Oh shit, Rook I'm so sorry, I-I didn't... I didn't..." Tears began to stream down his face as he lifted Rook's chair again, cutting her bindings.

"Holy shit! Eli is that-" Wheaty was cut off by Luke's sobbing voice.

"Dep, I'm so, sorry. I should've never left you alone! I should've went with you." His voice was cracked as he talked to her crippled form. Eli came over and helped her to her feet. Luke threw her arm over her shoulder and he began to leave quickly. Eli called to her from behind.

"You're gonna be ok hero, Whitetail's got ya now. Walker hurry up and get the truck."

"Hold on What the hell is the Deputy doing here." Wheaty was trying to keep up with Luke and Eli's quickened pace.

"Jacob, must've grabbed her, after I told her, to head to the Henbane." Horse from the heavy sobbing and constant apologies, Luke's gravely voice barely reached their ears.

Turning and using his own body to open the door, Luke hurried over and pulled open the door to the SUV, and carefully placed Rook inside.

"Woah, wait, Eli are we bringing her back to the Wolf's Den?"

"Where else would we take her?"

"Tammy ain't gonna like this."

"Tammy'll be fine."

Luke was barely concentrating as he caressed her cheek. She had faded from consciousness once again, but he had not stopped the bombardment of apologies. In the back of his mind, Luke knew he was in love with the Deputy. He didn't even know her name, and yet here he was, crying over her condition. Slowly crawling out, he watched as the SUV pulled away.

His hand found it's way to his forehead as he wiped sweat from his brows, followed by tears from his cheeks. His legs felt like Jello as he walked back to Lucy. "Dammit, you should have been there, she would have been safe then, but no, now she's hurt and it's all your fault." Lost in his little world, he didn't notice he was being stalked until a large white wolf had pinned him to the ground. Managing to roll over, he was met with the gaze of a large white wolf. It's intimidating hazel eyes burned through him as he glared at it, a large red cross covered a majority of it's face.

Reeling back as far as he could, he punched it's snout, to seemingly no effect. Pain erupted from his arm as the mighty beast latched onto his arm and began thrashing. Luke began slamming his other fist into it's head. Eventually it let go, surprisingly doing minimal damage to his arm. Before he could react it clawed the side of his face, clawing his left eye.

A horrid scream of pain escaped from his body, before ending in a wheeze from the condition of his throat. A low whistle cut through his ears and immediately the wolf backed off. Trotting over the the source, Jacob walked into his view. struggling to reach his holster with his mangled arm. Finally giving up and reaching for it with his untouched hand.

"Fuck you, you sick fu- AAAGGGHHH." Jacob stomped on Luke's leg as he pulled his gun. A light cracking sound resonated through the area as a pained howl escaped the younger man.

"You... Fuck... You... Sick... Fuck..."

"You know Luke, I thought you would be different. You were a soldier. Did what was needed of you. But you've grown soft. You saved John instead of killing him. While I thankful for that, It shows Just how weak you are" Jacob looked to see Luke reaching for his discarded pistol. Sighing he stomped on his hand, earning a loud grunt from his younger.

"Now, I know your weakness. You seriously didn't think I would only leave two people there." Spit suddenly clung to his face, mixed with a small amount of blood. The pained grunts escaped from his lips. His left side of his face was covered in blood. His remaining vision continued jumping from clear to doubled sporadically. Jacob laughed as he wiped the spit from his face with his thumb, before jamming it into Luke's disfigured forearm, earning an explosive scream of pain. The wolf growled as tears began to slip from Luke's eye again. The black of the void began to swallow Luke's vision, preventing him from remaining conscious for any longer.

"Pathetic"


	15. A Week for the Weak

Seven Days.

That's how long Luke had been in this cage. His eye was all but closed as footsteps approached the cage. In an instant Luke was on his feet savagely reaching for Jacob through the bars. For the second time through the week, Jacob simply stepped back.

"I'm surprised to see there's still some fight in you. I was sure you would break after just three days. Joseph might be right, this little cub might grow up to be a panther." The crazed look in Luke's eyes showed the pure rage he held for Jacob, thrashing his now some-what healed arm towards Jacob's neck. Jacob grabbed and lightly twisted, bringing a yelp through the almost bestial growls coming from Luke.

"I brought you a present." The creaking of the cage next to him drew his attention, and what he seen mortified him. Rook's barely conscious form lay inside. Although she was in much better shape than his own frail form.

"I've been conditioning our dear hero, If I gave the word, I'm sure she'll kill you. But what kind of fun would that be, I forgot your music box in my room. Tell me Luke do these words ring a bell?" Luke growled from his spot at the back of the cage. Jacob's gruff voice began to sing that dreaded song.

 _"Though there's no one there to guide you_  
 _No one to take your hand_  
 _But with faith and understanding_  
 _You will journey from boy to man_  
 _Son of man, look to the sky_  
 _Lift your spirit, set it free_  
 _Some day you'll walk tall with pride_  
 _Son of man, a man in time you'll be"_

Luke's vision blurred red as he lunged angrily at the Herald. His eye holding a feral glint. Jacob laughed as he stood back, winding up a music box.

"Joseph wants to see you, but I think I'll show you what your girlfriend looks like." A lone Whitetail was shoved into the Deputy's cage, and immediately the music began playing. Rook's body violently shook a few times before she attacked. The poor man never stood a chance as she repeatedly slammed his face into the metal bars and ground.

"Throughout his week here, he had been beaten, starved and berated. Withstanding Jacob's conditioning who used a song he sung to his children, and the severe lack of sleep. He withstood all of it for the most part, but seeing what had become of the Deputy broke him. He reached at Jacob with a rage unlike any other.

Catching the soldier off guard, Luke slammed Jacob's face into the metal bars that separated them, small amounts of blood began to drip from his eyebrows. Luke would have continued, had a song not calmed him immediately.

 _"Amazing Grace, How sweet the sound_

 _That saved a wretch like me_

 _I once was lost, but now am found_

 _T'was blind but now I see."_

Luke, calmed dramatically. His hand slipping from Jacob's neck, who angrily pulled away. Tears began slipping from the park rangers eyes as he huddled in the corner.

It was done.

Luke was beginning to brake.

The mental tole that Luke had suffered the past week of doing trials through his old home, killing the cops and eventually his own father had run their course. His mind a mess, Luke began to cry into his knees. Hearing the cage door open, Luke began trying to make himself smaller as he heard someone approach. Already feeling the beating he was about to receive, he tensed up.

But they never came, instead a gentle hand rested itself on Luke's head. Slowly looking up, his eyes met those of Joseph. Slowly Joseph pulled him to his feet, and walked him from his cage.

"You are so much more important than you realize. God has set before you a path of righteousness. All you had to do is follow it, and follow it you have. When faced with God's test, you returned John home. To repay you that kindness, I will do the same. I look forward to the day that you will attend my sermon again." Joseph continued driving at a casual pace. Luke, groggily and slowly looked over.

"Joseph, I don't know if I can keep fighting. It's wearing on me too much. This whole, thing, has beaten my brain and shattered my world. I don't know who to believe and who to trust. I... I... what am I supposed to do?" He leaned forward and cradled his head in his hands, tray tears sliding down his cheeks.

"God will show you your path, and it will lead you home. Do what you feel is right. " Afterwords Joseph began to hum his favorite song, and slowly, but surely, it lulled Luke to sleep..

~Elsewhere~

Eli had been waiting for any news on the whereabouts of Luke. After returning to the Wolf's Den, he hadn't shown up in a few hours. Fearing the worse, he prepared for another raid trip to the Grand View to retrieve Luke if he had been captured. During the raid, Rook accompanied them on their expedition. What they saw gave each member a varied reaction. Lucy, Luke's personal dirt bike, was dismantled and hanging from various points of the building.

Rook stared in horror, this was a guarantee that they had him.

Eli scrutinized the scene, he now held serious doubts that Luke was here, but one thing was for sure, he didn't give himself up.

Finally, there was Wheaty. Luke was kind of like a hero figure to him, knowing that he was captured didn't sit well with him.

They searched the whole building, and Eli's worst fears were realized. The Wolf's Den was in danger. Hopefully, he didn't like saying it, but he hoped that Luke died before he brakes.

Eli now had to worry about the Deputy again being captured. Things were not looking good for the Whitetails.

"Eli! I found our missing Ranger!" Eli scrambled for his buried radio. A smile spread across his face for this small bit of good news.

"Bring him home Walker, bring him home."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Hey Guys just a little heads up for the ending...S!

I have a list of endings that will be coming in the future!

1\. The Collapse (Canon)

2\. Resist

3\. Walk Away

4\. Leave (Secret Ending)

5\. Luke Goes In

6,7,8. Luke Dies (Holland, Whitetails, Henbane)

9\. Deputy Kills Luke (Resist)

10\. Luke Stays (Walk Away)

11\. Luke Gets Captured (Secret Ending)


	16. John's Return

~One Week Later~

Joseph sat in silence as he prayed. John sat in the front pew. Today Joseph planned on revealing to his flock that John still lived. His morning sermon was about to begin in an hour. Many things were on the line today. If the Resistance or the Whitetails figured out that Luke had saved him, he would be killed.

"John, today you must not let it get out that Luke saved you. If he is found out, he will be killed." John stood up and walked towards the door to let everyone in.

"Do not worry Joseph, I won't."

When the door was open all of the voices turned into gasps. John's face had his normal smug smirk as he stepped aside. A few came in and set up cameras while the others are kind of just stumbled in. Joseph stood up and and turned, his arms are outstretched with his eyes closed.

"Today, we are here to rejoice in the well being of my brother John, who was safely returned to us." John walked to the front of the Church and smiled, Joseph on the other hand, walked into the back as he allowed John to do his sermon.

John held up a brown leather pocket book. "This, this is the book of a man who knows much pain. A man who is lost in life." Murmurs began to come from the crowd, John smiled as he heard a word pop up a few times.

"The owner, is a man by the name of Luke Wilmette. The words written in here have brought me much inspiration in my time of recovery." John flipped open the book to one of the marked pages.

"' _You only experience true loss when you lose something that you love more than yourself_ ' those are the words of someone who have had their family, and their life taken from them."

That certain word again was spread around the room with more people. John knew that the flock would do what he wanted, to get riled up and track down Luke.

"When I read this, the feeling of grief that I received, made me want to lent a helping hand, to help him stand up and see the light at the end of the tunnel. To give him a shoulder to cry on."

The flock present began to grow unruly, as he expected most of the followers watching did. John held up his hand, his smirk ever present as the room quieted.

"He has atoned, but those around him are once again pulling him from the path. Taking him from those who can help him and clouding his mind with sin, with their _greed_ , and their _wrath_ , and their _lust_ , and trying to taint him with the _sloth_ that he rid himself of." John paused for effect as he walked closer to the front pews.

"When i ripped the sin from his flesh, I saw it then, the clarity of atonement."

~Hope County Jail~

Whitehorse watched in distress as John preached about the writing from Luke's journal. His fears are coming to light, either they have already broken through Luke, or they were close to it. An arm placed itself on his shoulder, Whitehorse turned to see Virgil.

"Don't worry Sheriff, he seemed like a strong willed man, I'm sure he'll be just fine."

Whitehorse just shook his head as he solemnly spoke.

"He's not as tough as he use to be, and if what I think is true, they already know his past. I shouldn't have let him leave."

Tracey entered the room with slight anger on her face.

"Sheriff, you better not let that bastard back in here, I didn't like it when you brought him in here in the first place, and I definitely don't trust him now." She slammed down on the table in front of the T.V. as the sermon continued.

 _"We must protect him from those who wish to do him harm..."_

~Fall's End~

 _"... and lead him astray from his destined path."_

Mary May scoffed as she wiped down the bar counter.

"Hell he does that enough. I've never seen anyone flip sides faster than a quarter in the air before I met him." Jerome sighed from his place while he cleaned his gun.

"You know as well as I do that John must have found something in his background that he could use against him. The better question is how John is still alive." Everyone in the bar was watching the televised sermon being given by the 'Dead Man' himself.

"I'll tell ya what happened, our 'friend' Luke went and took him to Joseph, I honestly don't understand what anyone sees in him, he's a traitor.

Nick stood up as he had heard enough. "Have you not heard what he's been doing up in the Whitetails? Word has it that in a week they'll be taken back the Veterans Center, and it's been Luke who's been doing most of the damage. Hell, he's even doin more than the Dep!"

Once again, she scoffed before speaking. "You sure Luke and Jacob aren't just having their own weird dick measuring contest?"

 _"We know that he is in the Whitetails..."_

~Wolf's Den~

 _"... where they are forcing him and the Deputy, to attack our brothers and sisters."_

Eli, Wheaty, Tammy, Rook, and a small assortment of Whitetail militia crowded around the T.V.

Rook sat in complete disbelief, she had left John to die in a field. Yet, here he was, preaching about Luke, who was currently out doing who knows what.

"Eli, what do you think, is he trustworthy?" Tammy asked, a bit of pain in her voice. Wheaty instantly went off the deep end.

"What the hell are you talking about? Have you not seen how much has changed since we found him again? We actually have a chance of winning this thing now." Eli quickly stood between the two.

"Listen, I know how this looks, but this might be them trying to get us to turn our backs on him. If we do that, were no better than them." Rook leaned back on the table trying to process the new information. John was still alive. And he was still dead set on Luke and her, although he somehow seemed even more smug than before.

"I agree with Eli, how do we know this isn't just a recording hmm? I personally left John out in a field to die, there's no way he's still alive." Tammy seemed to calm down.

"I know, I... I shouldn't have even questioned it." What caught Rook's attention was Tammy's face seemed to become pink, and her hands were fondling some sort of chain.

"Hey, Tammy, what's that?" Slowly drawing closer, Tammy reacted by holding it closer to her chest. Her face flared red.

"O-oh, th-they're Luke's Dog t-tags. W-why?" Rook looked down and scratched her head in disappointment, she had been meaning to find the time and ask Luke out on a fishing date, but both had been rather busy as of late.

"No... No reason. I'm happy for you Tammy." With that she left the bunker.

 _"And Luke..._

~With Luke~

Luke had just finished with his ambush on a peggie convoy. Freeing the captured animals, he had found a working T.V. in the back, and what he watched angered him. There was no way that Rook hadn't already figured it out and told everyone.

 _"... we're coming for you."_

Luke kicked one of the cages in anger before sitting down. Lost in his only world thinking about what to do, it took a minute to realize that a dog was nuzzling it's nose into his hand.

"Hey bud, you don't have to stay, go on home." When he stopped speaking, it began to jump up and down, it was a young Siberian Husky. It began to bark and happily follow him as he walked back to a bright green truck. Lucy's brake handle hung from the mirror, opening his door to get in, the dog jumped in before he could.

"huh, so your coming along for the ride, right, well then, let's see what your name is." Climbing into his truck and closing the door, he checked the collar and read his name.

"Balto, huh? Well then, Mr. Hero, lets get home."

~Joseph's Church~

"Don't you worry Luke, and everyone else who seeks to atone, don't go anywhere, we'll come to you." There was a moment of silence as John approached the camera.

"Welcome, to Eden's Gate."

Everyone stood from the pews as the camera went off air. John entered the door at the back and found Joseph sitting on a bench in the garden.

"Jacob has found the Deputy again, he said that she seemed distraught."

John scratched his beard in thought. "When do you think he'll act upon the Whitetails, this is what, the fourth time he's captured her. And what about Luke?"

Joseph stood up, took John's face in his hands, and pressed their foreheads together, and whispered, "Patience John, everything will fall into place in due time. Do not worry, this is Jacob's test."


	17. Only You (Whitetail Mountains Finale)

Luke's truck slowly approached the Wolf's Den. Putting the vehicle into park, he opened his door and allowed Balto to be the first to exit. Tammy hurried out of the bunker to meet him. Enveloping each other in a hug and a quick kiss, Tammy turns when she feels a fuzzball nuzzle into her hand.

"Aww, where did you find this little guy at?" She knelt down and began to rub the Balto's stomach after he rolled over.

"Balto was on the convoy that I ambushed, he came back after I released all the animals. We drove home and, BOOM! Here we are." They both descended into the bunker. Luke couldn't understand why, but after that night he had with Tammy, he began to develop feelings for her, and she was the one who took care of him when he came back malnourished and beaten.

He couldn't deny it now, he loved her. They walked into the front room, and was met by Eli.

"We got a problem, they got the Deputy again, here Luke, someone want's to talk to you.

 _"Hey, Kid you there?"_ The voice of dutch came through the radio silence.

"Hey Dutch, what can I help you with?" He leaned back on the table and kept the radio close to his head, his other rubbing Balto's head while Tammy rested her head on his shoulder.

 _"Jacob's got the Deputy, and I'm thinking that he might do something."_

Just then everyone perked up because the distant sound of gunfire.

"Dutch I'm gonna call you back, I think he's making his move." He slammed the radio down on the table and held Tammy's head much like Joseph would. "Tammy, I want you to hide. Can you do that for me? Take Balto with you." She was hesitant first, but with the sound of gunfire growing ever closer, she shook her head and retreated to the back of the bunker.

Luke Whistled and told Balto to follow her, which he happily did. The sound of gunshots were close now, Eli ran to his radio and cried out for answers.

"What the hell is happening out there!?" Eli frantically called out over the radio to get any information. The gunshots grew increasingly louder as they waited. Luke grabbed the A.R. off of the table and positioned himself where he exposed himself the least but still had a clear shot of the entrance.

"It's the Deputy, she's going ballistic!" A frantic voice called over the radio as both Luke and Eli froze.

"What the hell does that mean?" Luke questioned, hoping to not get the answer he expected.

"Her conditioning, Jacob's cut her loose on us."

The radio cracked to life as the bullet-storm raged on outside, they both expected the frantic pleas from a militiaman or a taunt from Jacob, but what happened instead confused them, music began playing.

 _"Only you make all this world seem right_

 _Only you can make the darkness bright"_

Luke rushed to shut the radio off, pulling himself from cover.

"Don't Shoot!"

A gunshot.

The tension.

The Sudden Pain

~Deputy~

Clawing her way into the dream version of the Wolf's Den, I descended the stairs and raised my gun to shoot.

"Don't Shoot!" Eli's voice pierced through the red haze as I squeezed the trigger. Everything afterwords seemed to slow to a stop. The bullet pierced through Luke's shoulder, but instead of evaporating into smoke, the spray of a crimson liquid peered over his left shoulder, as if to prove what she had done.

Eli's worried face seemed set in stone as he reached out to Luke, Tammy and Wheaty were entering from the offshoot hallway.

"Only you... Can make this world seem right..." Jacob's sick singing entered her ears as he descended into the frozen bunker.

"Only you can make the darkness bright... Only you..."

His singing seemed almost mocking as it came closer to her, her torturer drawing ever near, until he finally entered her line of sight. Pushing the tip of her gun down.

"Hey, only you could have gotten this close. Only you could have gained their trust so easily."

He walked next to the frozen Luke, pulling out a shard of mirror revealing his pained expression.

"It was always only ever you. Good work. You did it. You passed your test. You made your sacrifice." The more he spoke, the more the pit in her stomach grew. She couldn't have killed Luke right? He was stronger than that. He was strong.

"But now, your alone. And you're weak. And we know what happen's to the weak." Tears threatened to spill as he poked her chest.

"I cull the herd. It's what I do. I'll be outside waiting for you." with that he ascended the stairs singing 'Only You'.

As soon as he was out of sight, everything finally caught up to her. Luke slammed into the ground and balled into the fetal position clutching his shoulder.

"Shit, Luke!" Eli knelt down to him and began trying to treat his wound.

"Luke, No, NO!" Tammy screamed when she got to his side rubbing his face in comfort.

Wheaty grabbed the deputy's shirt instead of going to Luke and brought his pistol out. Tears were spilling from his face.

"What the fuck did you do? You fucking killed him you piece of shit. He trusted you! I trusted you!" Balto came running up to Luke who yelled at Wheaty.

"DAMMIT WHEATY! SHIT! I'M NOT DEAD!" Luke was crying silently as he tried not to show weakness, the training from his weak with Jacob taking effect.

"Wheaty, it wasn't her. Jacob made her do it. We've been through it before. Remember Parker." Eli stood up and and got between Wheaty and her.

"Dep, that REALLY fucking hurt." Luke cried as he began standing up, shrugging off Tammy's helping hand.

"If you don't mind, I'm gonna go kill that fucker." Luke began ascending the stairs before collapsing from the blood loss. Tammy once again rushed over, and this time Luke accepted the help.

"Here, Depu-"

"Andria, it's Andria." Luke stayed silent for a moment before bringing his now blood covered pistol towards her.

"Andria, you go kill that bastard... or I'll put a bullet in between your eyes myself." Tammy finished before Luke could speak again.

Andria nodded and climbed out of the bunker, only to find that the land had taken on a red fog.

"Alright Jackass lets finish this." With the sudden appearance of many beacons, Andria knew what she had to do. Tearing through many of Jacob's soldiers and Judges, her vision cleared with every destroyed beacon. But so too did the pain become clearer.

"Don't fight it, just let go. You've served your purpose." Jacob's voice was eerily calming, like an older brother telling their sibling that everything was gonna be OK. Continuing on her attack, she felt something slam into her shoulder, but only felt a light sting.

"You're tougher than I thought... But killing me won't change a goddamn thing, You think I give a shit if I die? That's my purpose, I give my life for Joseph's... And I do it gladly. I understand my role. I am his sacrifice. It's as simple as that. Your friend Luke could teach you about a soldiers mission, if he makes it, that is..." Deputy's angry charge became a war path as Jacob mentioned her wounded friend, the friend that HE made her wound.

She didn't really wan't to hurt him, He didn't do anything to hurt her So what if he loves Tammy? It's not her choice. She blew up another beacon, and noticed that the music was also quieting.

"Don't cry about Luke... He was weak, and selfless. I gave him several chances to prove himself and he always put others first. If he had just made his sacrifice, things would have been easier."

The more he talked down about Luke the angrier she got.

"Let's say you get out of this, what's next? Gonna go run errands for Eli again? I doubt they have the needed resources to save Luke, a close range light machine gun shot does more damage than you think. Joseph is the only one who has what he needs and can help him in time, but your not gonna let him help because of your pride are you?"

"As she kept running, her mind began to wander. Would she and him over to Joseph if the Whitetails can't save him, or would she rather him die? "No Jacob, we can save him, we don't need Joseph's help... We look out for our own."

"Don't you find it ironic that everyone you try to help winds up worse off? Pratt, Luke?... Tragedy follows you. If you really wanted to help keep people safe, be a hero... you'd just off yourself. Safer for everyone that way." His words were starting to get to her, tears were brimming on the edges of her brown eyes. It wasn't true! Those she helped were always hurt by Jacob, not her.

Destroying the last beacon, the world around her returned to normal, and the flash of his scope could be seen from the top of a nearby cliff. "Found you bastard." Her muttered breaths were surrounded by ragged breaths from her previous running and light crying. Again engaging swarms of soldiers and Judges, she clawed and fought her way to a spot where she could accurately fire upon Jacob.

As she drew closer, three more snipers appeared over the cliff and began to rain fire upon her.

"Now Deputy, your stuck. This is where you die." He breathing hitched as panic set in. She was stuck and she couldn't reach them.

"Hold on... Andria, give me... a second... hnngh." Luke's pained voice came over the radio as three distinct sniper shots resonated through the mountains, and each found a target in a soldiers head. As she began to thank Luke, Tammy's voice came over the radio, and Rook could tell that she had been crying.

"It's all up to you Dep, Luke's dying, we can't do anything for him, You make that bastard pay for what he's done." Through out the entire transmission, the sound of ragged, wet coughs could be heard in the distance, and she smiled.

Even when he was dying, Luke helped in any way he could, that was the man that she fell in love with.

Quickly peeking over the rock she took shelter behind, she fired of a burst of rounds and watched happily and Jacob fell backwards. Quickly ascending the cliff, she found the soldier walking himself towards a set of rocks to set down on.

"My brother saw all this coming... I don't know I don't know if he talks to God... that doesn't matter. He was right. Humanity is once again in crisis." Jacob's cracked and pain voice reached Andria's ears as he settled down.

He cold gaze pierced into his own eyes as she approached him. Wary of every movement his muscles made in case he tried anything.

"It doesn't matter what we build or achieve... we will always find a way to break it down. Just look at you, you thought John was dead, but someone right under your nose betrayed you, and you have no clue who it was." He motioned with his hand as he began to sound more and more tired.

"Babylon... Rome... Empires rise... and Empires fall... America, we're no different." He began to wave her closer and she relaxed when it didn't seem like he was gonna do anything, her assault rifle slid comfortably to her side.

"We think we're indestructible... World War II, War on "Terror"... We survived it... but it only brought us closer to the edge. And this is where we are. Right on schedule, just waiting for someone to push us... and oh, boy have you pushed us..." He began to lightly cough more as he grasped her collar. his breathing grew raspy as he began to struggle for air.

"You did everything that he said you would do. And you didn't even know it." He let go as his voice went faint. "You had no, fucking clue." One last quivering breath flowed over his lips as his head hung forward. Andria reached forward and grabbed the key from his neck, when her radio came through again.

"Hey... Andria... can you bring... Jacob's body back... He may have been a... psychopath... but he was... still a brother... in arms... and I want him... to have a... honorable burial... everyone here is... ok with it... It's my last... request..." Lukes voice broke the silence with sentences broken by coughs, his low toned voice sounded tired, as she began to fear the worst. Slinging Jacob's body over her soulder, she hurried toward's the Wolf's den.

~Wolf's Den~

She set Jacob's body in the back of Luke's truck and ran into the bunker. Luke was sitting propped up against the wall, his skin growing pale. He looked toward's her with a fading smile, his vibrant eyes growing dim as he sat his blood-soaked clothes. Balto laid at his feet whining ,and Tammy, with puffy eyes held his hand. Wheaty was sitting with his head in his hands, while Eli was pacing through the room, and other Whitetails were standing around the room, about five in all.

With all that Luke had done for the Whitetails, losing him would deal an incredible blow to their morale. He was the indestructible hero who made in back from a week of trials with his sanity intact. Being led by someone as seemingly unstoppable as him was a huge morale boost, and everyone was sad to see him go.

""It's ok... I'm a... soldier. I was... meant to die... that was my destiny... and I'm alright with that... that was my purpose. I'm finally done fighting... and can... rest..."


	18. Data Wanted!

So this is just a chapter where i wanted to know some of your oppinions.

What has been your favorite moment in the story?

What has been your favorite Chapter?

What is your thoughts about Luke?

What shocked you the most? (Didn't see it coming)

What do you think the deputy will do about Luke?

What do you guys think will be the fate of these characters

1\. Luke

2\. Andria (The Junior Deputy)

3\. Faith

5\. Joseph

and last but not least

6\. Balto

Please comment and be honest it helps me with writing the story!

I hope you enjoy the rest of...

Far Cry 5: The Panther


	19. Homebound

Andria lifted her radio, she would not let Luke die by her hands.

"Joseph are you there?" When she got no response she would switch channel's and ask again. Eventually there was an answer...

From John.

"Why Deputy, I haven't talked to you sense you left me for dead. To what do I owe this pleasure?" Scanning around the room the looks that she received were mixed.

Eli looked at her with a look that questioned if she knew what she was doing. Wheaty looked at her with a look of doubt. Tammy looked at her with absolute disbelief.

"What the hell do you think your doing.! You can't just hand off Luke to Joseph! He's my boyfriend!" Luke's sluggish hand reached up and pulled at her pants, effectively making her sit back down next to him.

"Andria... I'm OK with dying... It's... Fine..." His voice was ragged as he slurred his words. his eyes slowly closed. Tammy leaned down in a panic, tears flowing again.

"Luke... Luke... Hey... Luke speak to me... Luke, come on, please... PLEASE ANSWER ME!" She began to cry into his lap.

"John I'm going to be dropping off Luke and Jacob's body just outside of the north entrance to the island, he's dying, and I hate to say it, but you guys are the only one who can save him." There was silence on his end as Rook picked up Luke while some of the Whitetails held back a screaming Tammy. Balto whined as he stood up and followed her outside of the bunker and jumped into the back seat of Luke's trunk.

"Dear Deputy, are you asking for my help?" his voice was questioning and she knew what he wanted from her, but she didn't want to give it to him, her pride was to great and for a moment she forgot what the call was about.

"You know John, you really piss me off."

"Oh, well then I guess you figured out a way to save Luke, have a nice da-"

"Goddammit, YES JOHN! I need your help."

~Joseph's Compound~

John smiled as he entered the chapel.

"Joseph, I have... news. The bad news is-"

"Jacob is dead, I know, I must prepare his eulogy." Joseph stood and turned to John, His eyes were rimmed with red and tear streaks traveled down his cheeks. He slowly stood and it seemed like the energy had been sapped from him.

"Uh.. Joseph, I do bring some good news. Luke is on his way here, but he in dying. But Rook believes we may be able to save him." Joseph approached John and took his head into his hands. His voice was slightly raspy as he began to speak.

"God has given us a ray of light in our time of need. Do not let him die John."

Joseph left the chapel and closed the door. John stood for a few seconds before rushing out with a few followers in tow. Climbing into the passenger seat, he told the driver where to go. Pulling up to the entrance, he quickly took notice of the bright green truck, remembering that it was the same color as the bike he had in Holland Valley. Quickly making his way to the truck when a young husky growled from the back. John stopped and cautiously held his hand out.

"Hey there little guy, I'm here to help. I just wanna help him Ok?" It nuzzled into his hand and whined. Smiling John hurried over to the drivers side and climbed in setting in the seat next to him, was Luke.

His head was slumped forward and he was not moving. Panicking, he placed a hand on his neck, and one in front of his mouth. When he felt nothing his own head began to bow. Holding it in his hands he began to slowly drive the vehicle with two dead bodies and a dog.

Pulling in slowly, everyone crowded around the mysterious vehicle that they haven't seen before. When John climbed out he slowly went over to the passenger side door. Pointing towards another man in the crown he flicked his hand towards the trunk.

"Grab Jacob, and bring him to the chapel..." He then glowered at him.

"...And be careful." The large man shrunk a bit as he rushed to the back. When he pulled the tailgate down, A husky jumped out of the tailgate and began licking John's hand when he picked Luke up bridal style.

When he slowly pushed open the door he let out a heavy sigh. When the other man came in he sat Jacob down next to Luke, and the reality hit John. Not only did his eldest brother die today, but he failed to save the life of the man who saved his.

"John..." John shot up and held his hands out.

"Joseph I'm sorry, by the time I got there, he was already-" Joseph held his hand up to silence him and walked towards where Jacob and Luke lay.

"Jacob, may no longer be with us..." He kneeled down next to Jacob and lay his hand on his cheek. slowly pulling away from him, he switched to Luke and laid his hand on his chest. "...but his story is not over."

When his hand touched Luke's chest, a look of pain crossed his face and he began coughing. John ran to Luke and crouched down, and the Husky from before walked back over and laying down next to Luke and whining.

Luke's eyes open for a moment before they closed again. John's face flashed the disbelief he was filled with. He was sure that Luke had passed on. Joseph picked him up and moved him to a building that had been built to accompany three people to live there. Joseph planned on Luke saving Jacob as well, but that was unfortunately not the case, and now that Luke would be staying at the compound he was unsure of Faith's fate.

John rushed forward and opened the front door, allowing Joseph to quickly move Joseph to the first floor bedroom. Joseph went outside for a moment and came back inside with a follower. She was around her early twenties. "John, this is sister Lily, she will be caring for Luke while he recovers.

"Hello." Her simple greeting was all that she said before she entered the room, closed the door, and went to work. John placed a hand on Joseph's shoulder and went up stairs. Joseph went into his pocket, feeling a rough cover, and retrieved Luke's Journal, looking back up at the door he whispered.

"Welcome home, Luke."


	20. A Change of Heart

It had been a week since Luke had arrived at Joseph's compound, and about five days since he woke up, and he has yet to say anything. The only few words he had said were to Lily, who had been assigned to help him.

Joseph was currently with John in his Church praying before his sermon. John was reading from Luke's journal and preparing for his speech after Joseph's speech. Joseph was praying for guidance on how to approach Luke. Him and John both had approached him on multiple occasions.

They had also spoke with Lily, and she had said on multiple occasions she had rushed in when he broke down crying out of nowhere. John himself had heard one of these outburst last night as he tried to sleep. Lily had gone home for the night, so he feared that something had happened.

Rushing into his room, he found Luke sitting on the edge of the bed and bawling his eyes out. Balto lay on the end of his bed whining. Cautiously, John put a hand on his shoulder causing him to jump back in shock, Balto growled from his position on the bed, now standing with his teeth bared. John sat down and comforted him until Luke fell asleep again, and he returned to his own room.

John closed the book and Joseph looked up from his prayer when they both heard a loud, muffled voice come from inside.

"You really shouldn't be up from bed, please, your injury hasn't completely healed yet!" Joseph slowly sat up, and made his way to the doors. Waiting for a moment he was surprised to hear a certain male's voice on the other side.

"I need to talk to Joseph, and, well, I think I might stay for his sermon. I just need to know something." Joseph smiled and walked back to John. Putting his hand on John's shoulder, he pulled their foreheads together.

"Today will be a momentous occasion. Not only will Faith be joining us later today for dinner, but Luke will be attending service today." John joined Joseph im a smile.

"Do you think that he'll see his purpose today, Joseph" Joseph sighed through his smile.

"If not completely, he will begin to understand. He will see, and with him we will save the Lamb, and we will all march together to Eden's Gate." The bell above him rung and and his flock began to filter in through the doors, Joseph only noticed the two that did not move. Luke and Lily stood at the door, realizing that she couldn't get him home now, she passed the threshold of the door, and stopped halfway down the aisle when Luke was not following.

All eyes were on him as everyone realized who he was. Before them stood the Panther, Park Ranger Luke Wilmette. His arm was in a sling, and his upper body was in bandages. His right eye was covered in a bandage from his mental explosion when he woke up, badly damaging his entire body. His left leg was in a boot and his nervous shaking could be seen by all.

Taking a shaky breath, he took a slow and sloppy step into the church, and seemed to let it settle, before moving closer to the back pews, and taking a slow seat, shaking on the way down before coming to a safe seat. Lily turned back to the Father before receiving a nod, and joining him.

"Today, God has blessed us. A week ago, we lost my brother Jacob. We almost lost Luke as well, but God has safely returned him to us. We must give thanks for this gift... of Life!" Sounds of 'Amen' and 'Thank You' filled the room. The sermon continued on like it would have even if Luke hadn't shown up. Joseph preached about love, family, and faith. John preached about sin, atonement, and repentance. And just as before, Luke held on to every word with awe and curiosity, if not more so. Slowly reaching his hand over, he took Lily's hand in his own, and gave a soft squeeze.

Lily looked over and smiled at the wonder in his eyes. She felt her face heat up just a bit, and gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. He reminded her of a small child looking at Santa. When the sermon ended he leaned back with a smile on his face. Outside the Church, Joseph and John greeted each of his children as they left, and as they greeted the last, they both looked around for Luke.

"I'll go check back at the house." Joseph nodded and John took off towards the house. Joseph returned back inside his church, and was surprised at what he found. Luke was laying his head across Lily's stomach. Joseph's eyebrows raised when Luke's head rolled over and he spoke.

"I think... Joseph..." Luke sighed as he paused. Lily was petting his head, and Luke's small smile never seemed to fade. "I want to give it a try. I think the reason I was really fighting was, well, I just want to be accepted. After my family was killed, I just wanted to have somewhere I belong. Somewhere I can call home and be..." He stopped talking and sighed out, not knowing if he could say the next word.

"Loved?" Lily questioned as she smiled down at him. She knew from their small talks that Luke felt betrayed. He blamed everyone that was there at the Wolf's Den handed him off to their enemy. He felt alone, and outcast. Luke looked up and smiled at her. Joseph took his hand and helped him stand.

"I know that losing your family, and feeling betrayed by those who you trusted must be hard, but you are accepted here, Eden's Gate will accept you, and love you. We will never turn our back on you." Luke released Joseph's hand and returned to Lily's side. The look in his eyes were like those of a child who doesn't want to be separated from their Mother. Luke must have suffered massive mental harm.

Joseph could use Lily as a way to get through to Luke, and eventually join Eden's Gate. " I wanted to ask you Luke, Faith will be coming here and we were planning a dinner Myself, Faith, and John as well, we wanted to know if you and Lily would like to join us?" Lily put her hands up and shook her head.

"Father, I can't. I'm nothing special I-" She stopped when Luke squeezed her hand, and the look on his face begged her not to leave. Joseph approached and put a loose strand of her red hair behind her head as he pressed their foreheads together.

"You are special. Luke has chosen you to become attached to. To open his heart up to and to confide in. Do not sell yourself short." Pulling back and looking into her green eyes, he switched his attention back and pulled Lukes forehead closer, he could feel his shaky breaths and shivering body. he gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze and began to take his leave.

"I hope to see both of you there." With that he walked out and left the two alone.

~1 Hour Later~

Joseph opened the door to reveal Faith standing there.

"My dear Faith, how are you this evening. I hope it is treating you well." Faith pulled back and smiled.

"Is Luke here yet. Oh I can't wait to see him again." She revealed a bliss crown.

"I don't think he will be joining us tonight." Faith's smile fell the smallest bit. but she nodded in understanding. Joseph led her to the table where John sat. When Joseph came into the room he stood up until he seen that it was Faith who followed behind.

"He's not coming is he?" John sat back down and scratched his beard. Joseph shook his head as they all sat down. Waiting for a few more minutes, Joseph eventually held his hands out for prayer, John and Faith held took Joseph's hands in Prayer.

"God, we thank you for the blessings bestowed upon us today. For the food, for family, and for this beautiful day. We bring thanks for Luke's wellbeing and appearance today, and we pray for the safety and wellbeing for the project. In Jesus name, Amen.

"Amen."

"Amen."

Not a moment later there was a resounding knock from the door. A look of confusion was passed between Faith and John. Joseph smiled and excused himself. Opening the door he was met with two people.

"Good evening Father!" Lily greeted with a small bow and a smile.

"Good evening to you Lily, and to you as well Luke. I'm glad you could join us tonight. How are you two this evening?" Joseph stepped to the side and allowed them enter. Luke only greeted him with a small nod. Joseph brought them to the table and seated them. Going over to the kitchen to get their table set out, her heard the scraping of a chair across the floor.

"Let me do it Joseph. I'm the reason we're late, I also want to talk to you." Luke's scratchy voice could be heard from behind him. Only now did Joseph realize the red around his eyes.

"I want to change."


	21. New Problem

Rook entered her vehicle, preparing to leave for the jail. This past week and a half had been hell. John had been so _kind_ to inform her that Luke was awake, safe, and was on the road to recovery. She would have perfectly been fine with that small piece of information, but John kept pestering her, saying that Luke was on the road to atonement.

Of coarse, she ignored him, not believing anything the Baptist said Although, she did inform both Eli and Tammy of that small bit of 'information', and they also seemed in disbelief. Now though, with the fourth week since Luke was given to Joseph drawing near, the Peggies were being oddly quiet. At least, until about three days ago.

They had pushed back into Holland Valley and were raining hell in the Henbane region as well, apparently with the help of Faith's angels, the Cougars have been pushed back to the Jail. Whitehorse had Dutch contact her to ask for help, and she expected to get an earful when she tells him that she gave Luke to the Seed's.

Turning the key into the ignition, the truck roared to life, and she pulled off into the forest.

"Hey Sheriff, Hold on, I'm on my way." There was a moment of radio silence before he returned his own words over the radio.

"Hurry Rook, we can't last much longer, You and Luke need to get over here!" His voice seemed frantic, and there were gunshots and screaming in the background. Throwing her radio nto the passenger seat, she slammed the gas pedal, and the howl of the engine tore through the mountainside.

Her eyes were scanning the roadsides, when she spotted it, an oil tanker heading for the Henbane. The roads they were on would eventually merge. What she saw as well, confused her. Instead of the trucks that usually accompanied, these were dirt bikes, three off them. Slowing down until she was behind them, she rammed the one in the back, throwing him from his bike.

From there she began to pepper the tanker, slamming the gas pedal when the trail flowing from it ignited. Soon after the entire tanker exploded as it crossed into the Henbane Region, killing it's two escorts as well. Cheering as she started moving again, she imagined John's angered face as he heard about her most recent attack.

Smiling when she heard the radio turn on, she waited for John's voice to yell at her, but it never came. The voice that greeted her instead froze her. The unmistakably gravely voice with a pitch of mischief laced with threat couldn't be mistaken for anyone else.

"Someone is trying to fight those who only wish to help. She are trapped in a web of lies spun by those around her." She stopped the car as she reached for the source of sound. "They have her trapped in a world that blinds her from the truth. A traveler is only as good as the map they follow, and the people who made that map have mode it to lose those that trust it."

The way the words flowed over his mouth seemed true, but she knew them to be lies. She frowned in shock at how much they had sunk their hooks into him. "But God has never led those who trust in him astray. For his guidance holds no ill-will, nor does it judge those who do not judge." she sunk further into her seat as sweat began to form on her brow.

"I will help guide those who are lost home, there, they shall be judged by the lord. If you hear this Rook..."

The deafening silence began to gnaw at her bones. Sweat began to drain into the collar of her shirt. Her palms began to itch as she waited for him to continue.

"...It's time to come home."

She released a breath that she hadn't realised she was holding. Her radio cracked to life again, this time she knew it would be Dutch warning her to be careful.

"Oh shit, kid. It sounds like your friend traded sides, and has his eyes set on you. If what i heard about what he did up in the Whitetails is true, watch your ass. Dutch out." She slowly nodded, even though she knew he couldn't see her. Eli came over the radio next.

"I know this isn't the time for I told you so, but we all said that this was a bad decision. Tammy's going off the deep end, I don't think it would be safe for you to come this way until she calms down. Keep safe out there Dep." His voice cut out as she neared the Jail. There were a few people outside as she pulled up, they were moving bodies after their last attack.

Stepping out, she saw the Sheriff standing at the gates with his arms crossed. "Rook, we need to talk."

~That Night~

Rook sat in one of the cells on the top floor. As she had assumed, Whitehorse was really upset with her. She herself was not in a good spot. Being in Faith's region meant that no doubt she would be searching for her, and with the target that Luke painted on her back it's safe to say that she was a dead woman walking.

Sitting up from her bed, she grabbed her gun and made her way downstairs. Her curiosity got the better of her as she left the jail in search of Peggies to kill and cult property to destroy. What was Luke planning. How would he try to convert her differently that John and Jacob had tried.

Heading to an area where Whitehorse told her the new peggie faction set up camp.

 _"They call them Wardens. Most of them are heavily armored and armed, if you plan on attacking them, be careful." Whitehorse pushed himself off of the west wall and entered back inside._

Stopping the truck far enough away so it wouldn't be heard, she began to crawl through the tall grass until she saw the small encampment. Four, four _heavily_ armored peggies were in the encampment. Two patrolling the perimeter, and two around the campfire. One had their helmet on as the scooped beans from a con into their mouth. Shooting him and whistling, she watched as the remaining three shot into high alert, only for Peaches to lunge and drag one down.

The man was still thrashing trying to throw the cougar off of him as she began unloading onto a second.

"It's the lamb! Bring her to Luke!" When her target dropped, a sting erupted in her chest as the third fired, Peaches took off after killing the first. Looking dorn, she saw the tail end of a dart.

" _Fuck_." The world around her began to spin as she felt herself be lifted from the ground. The...

There was nothing.


	22. First Capture

When Rook began to come to, the first thing she noticed was someone humming Amazing Grace. The second was the bright green hood of the vehicle she was in.

Her mouth was gagged so she couldn't speak. Movement next to her grabbed her attention. Luke was in the drivers seat as they pulled into a camp of Wardens. Her worst fears were realized.

"When I was born, my birth had sucked the life out of my mother, and I was left alone with my father, so tainted by sin, he took to the bottle as I would do later." His voice cracked as he climbed out of the truck and went around to her side. Her eyes locked onto the peggie symbol painted onto the hood, this truck had been a source of hope for the Whitetail Militia, and it pained her to see it bearing the symbol of Eden's Gate.

Luke opened her door and picked her up, before chaining her to a pole, and sat down just out of reach on a pole. To her left was an MRE, steam rising from the hot meal. Luke gestured for her to eat, and when she didn't, he tried to feed her.

A swift smack sent the food flying, and left Luke with a look of understanding.

"I know things might look bad right now, but they will get better. Joseph has shown me my purpose Andria. I'm meant to protect Andria. And protect I have. I protected the Whitetails. Protect I will. I will protect this project." Andria's eyes scanned his body, the words _pride_ was carved onto his left bicept. _Envy_ occupied his right bicept, and _wrath_ could be seen peaking over the collar of his grey tank top.

"I have a family now Andria, as wil you. I don't know if you had heard my little message, but I will not judge you. That is not the job of me or my wardens. No... Judging is the job of the lord." Luke stood up and grabbed a pistol. Loading a dart into it, he turned around and pointed it at the helpless deputy.

"Do the right thing Deputy, we'll talk soon." Squeezing the trigger, she watch as the dart lodged itself into her leg, and the world spun, before dissapating into darkness.


	23. Betrayal?

When Rook began to wake, she was unbound in a moving vehicle. As she laid there on the floor, she noticed the two Wardens above her. They seemes to be talking, but she couldn't understand what. Feeling towards her boot, she found a hunting knife she had stored there.

In one swift movement, she leapt to her feet and sliced the neck of a young woman. The man behind her tried to restrain her, but her knife met his eye socket, effectively killing him. The vehicle stopped and she heard the two doors to the cabin open up.

Panicked voices rounded the outside of the vehicle, and the doors swung open. Andria lept at the two warden. Scared and caught off guard the fell the the ground and Rook took off into the forest, heading in the direction of the Jail.

~Hope County Jail~

Sheriff Whitehorse was currently on the wall overlooking the perimeter. Earlier that night word got out that Luke's wardens had captured Rook. What's worse is they have yet to find Luke's main base.

The Resistance in Holland Valley haven't had any luck on their part either. The scary thing is that Luke and his Wardens are knocking on the doors of Fall's End and the Jail. The sounds of shoutings drew his attention to the other wall, and he rushed over.

Down on her knees catching her breath, Rook sat in front of the wall, all guns trained on her.

"Hold your fire! I said hold your fire! She's one of us!" Whitehorse rushed down and practically dragged her back inside.

"Rook, what the hell happened?" Swiping the bottle he handed her, she greedily chugged it, large splashes falling out of the corner of her mouth.

"I... I attacked that Warden camp to the North, but was captured. Luke's one of them Sheriff. I, I think they took me to the main base, there were trees everywhere." She returned to chugging what remained of her water.

The Sheriff rubbed her back as she caught her breath. "I think he's up in the Whitetails, probably close to the compound. The truck I was in was also heading South." Whitehorse stared at her in confusion.

"That doesn't make any sense, they haven't pushed into the Whitetails yet, and Eli and his militia hasn't seen any Warden activity either." Andria shook her head as she climbed to her feet.

"Think about it, its the perfect cover. You wouldn't think of looking for them in a place you believe they're avoiding right." Just then her radio went off with the sound of Dutch's Voice asking if she was there.

"Go ahead Dutch."

"Hey kid, I just picked up peggie chatter. Apparently while Luke will be attending Joseph's sermon tomorrow, his truck will be taken into that auto place they took back in Holland. Eli said it was a symbol for the Militia right?"

"That would be right Dutch, Luke's truck has arguably become a symbol for the Whitetails, which is why we're gonna take it back."

"Well it looks like we're on the same page then. Give a call up to Eli when your ready, he said he wants to see it safely returned. Stay safe kid. Dutch out."

"Copy that Dutch, Rook out." With that she switched her focus as Earl's voice became background noise. No doubt this will piss Luke off, bit the faster she can drag him out, the faster she can finish up Faith, the Henbane's Herald has come to her twice already, but Luke was definitely far more dangerous. She imagined the final showdown between the two would lead to bloodshed, but she just didn't know if she could kill him.

"Eli, you there?" There was a few seconds of silence before he came back through.

"I'm here Dep, how can I help you." Eli sounded tired.

"Hey Eli, I was gonna go take back Luke's truck, figured you might want to know. Luke won't be there, so we'll be grabbing it from US Auto in Holland Valley." There were sounds of shuffling paper on his end, as well as some shouts.

"Hold on Dep, when will this be happening?"

"Oh, uh tomorrow, why?"

"Dammit, I was you'd say that. I wont be able to bring many people, we're short on people as it is, Michael said he saw a Warden on the border this morning." She knew that everyone would probably be worried about the arrival of the Wardens. They were much harder to take down than normal peggies.

"That's fine Eli, all I wanted to do was tell you. If your in be at the Jail before 8 tomorrow morning." With that, the fight against Luke had begun. They had to end this fast before he ended them.

Luke had to be stopped.


	24. Poking the Beast (Cult pt 1)

So i lost my phone at school, thankfully it was turned in, but whoever it was kept the phone case and pop socket but turned in the phone and sd card inside it, it is incredibly weird

Luke woke up that morning feeling fairly content. Throwing on a fresh white tee and some black jeans, he began to trim his beard. Since his coming to Hope County, his beard had grown quite a bit. Lily enjoyed playing with it.

The top of his back stung where the word _lust_ was written, just underneath where sloth was written. His eyes traced what could be seen of hus other sins. _Envy_ and _pride_ were tattooed onto his arms, a painful reminder of how lost he once was.

His hand grazed the raised skin of the word _wrath,_ added right alongside the other three sins.

 _Lust,_ for the way he always greedily attached himself to a woman in an attempt to feel what his had for his wife, what he feels now for Lily. To simply be happy with her presence, not needing to always show he was with them in _disgusting_ ways.

 _Envy,_ for the ways he stared at other families, controlled by the longing of his own, clouding his judgement and casting his hatred on those who were held by those close to them.

 _Pride,_ the sin that almost cost him his life. Refusal of help from Joseph to keep him alive at first. Refusing to believe that those he trusted would ever lie to him and he wouldn't catch it. But no, those were not his worst sins. Buried under the _Sloth_ that had ripped out, the present _lust, envy,_ and _pride,_ laid his most potent sin.

 _Wrath._ It festered inside of him like a plague. At times it would consume him whole and drive him to violent actions, actions that led to the taking of his father's life. Actions that no doubt would have eventually led to his own untimely demise.

Luckily, Joseph had saved him. He had shown Luke that he was so very, very wrong. And Lily, dear sweet Lily had helped Luke along the way. Her presence was a humble comfort to him. And he loved her, genuinely. His world seemed to slowly revolve around the project and Lily.

A sudden knock on his door was all it took to grab his attention. He had decided to stay in the compound and not in the main Warden camp, it made protecting Lily easier. Opening his door, he smiled at Lily, who wore a light blue sundress. His expression fell into a oft smile. He wanted nothing more than to protect her.

"Wow Luke, you always know how to make me feel overdressed don't you." She shyly turned her head away with a giggle.

"Nah, I'm always underdressed. You look beautiful. So, I'm guessing your already ready then?" Luke held out his arm and she wrapped her own arms around it.

Closing his door behind him, they entered the livingroom of the spare house where John, Joseph, and Faith were all present. A large picture of Jacob hung from the wall, his death troubled the Seeds, but worst of all Luke felt terrible about it.

It had been three of his bullets that would help kill those around him, which in turn led to his death. His blue eyes bore into Luke, the weight of his guilt becoming crippling. Luke couldn't look at the picture at all.

"Luke, he does bot blame you. Your eyes and mind were clouded by the sin of those around you. Your actions were not truly your own." Joseph placed his hands on Luke's face, drawing his attention. Lucy rubbed his arm calmly, trying to calm Luke before he has another fit.

Luke nodded but pulled away. He hated it, but his pride was telling him not to accept Joseph's help, that all of this was his doing.

"I'm fine, and I understand Joseph. We have a sermon to attend." With that Luke and Lily left for the church. Joseph and his siblings watched as they left, before giving eachother a look. Luke was still not completely free from sin.

~Post Sermon~

Joseph exited the church to see his followers greeting each other and John. Scanning the crowd, his eyes locked onto Luke and Lily. Luke seemed to be entertaining a child with some simple magic tricks, like pulling a coin from behind the child ear. He smiled before rurning to the people approaching him.

"Hello Father." The young woman in front of him said, but her eyes remained on Luke, a _lustful_ glint in her eye. Since his arrival, several women have tried to force themselves onto Luke.

"Ivy, please control your _lust_ , Luke is on a difficult path of atonement. He has almost conquered his sin of lust, do not make him revert to his old ways. He has found a woman he loves and wishes to protect in sister Lily." Ivy looked down in shame, she was a rather new member to the project, and Joseph began to fear that she may be a test of Luke's faith.

He is shaky at best. Joseph knew when he confronted the Deputy, Luke's newfound faith would be strained to its limits.

His attention was pulled away from that as he watched more of his flock introduce themselves to Luke, after the incedent that led to Jacob's demise, Luke was not well liked by the Project. He was the fall for a lot the flocks _wrath_.

Luke berated himself for Jacob's death. He still had a long way to go until he would be completely free of sin, his _wrath_ is almost ingrained into his body. The flock mingled for ten minutes before returning to their days.

Joseph looked around for Luke and Lily, but had no such luck. The sound of explosions rocked in the distance. Joseph turned towards the sound as Faith and John came to his side. Luke rushed out of the guest house with Lily in tow shouting over his radio.

"What the hell do you mean the Father's statue was destroyed. You not only let her steal my truck but you let her destroy Joseph's statue! I want the names of the Wardens in charge of protecting those areas! Now!"

Joseph calmly walked over and placed his hand on Luke's shoulder and carefully took the radio.

"This is Faith's region, let her take care of this. Faith, show the lamb her path." Luke approached her and pulled her into a hug.

"My Wardens in the Henbane are at your command. Bring her home Faith. Bring her home."


	25. Poking the Beast (Deputy pt 2)

Andria and Eli laid in the grass, looking through binoculars at U.S. Auto. Hurk and Sharky were in route to their location, she figured the two could help in taking Luke's truck, and the two cousins would have a hoot for the surprise later.

Calling the locations of the six Wardens and 4 cultists, she gave the call by means of whistle and watched as Cheeseburger charged in and began attacking a warden with a cloud of Bliss surrounding her.

At the same time Eli shot the Peggie on the turret. Sounds of screaming erupted as Cheeseburger began ripping through U.S. Auto, and as she was hoping, the blaring of the alarm sounded.

"Alright guys, I wanna see some big fireworks." She smiled as she heard the Overjoyed hoots of Sharky and Kurk in the distance.

"Hurk is on the case!"

"Hey Hurk, this reminds me of that time I shot a bottle rocket up a wolf ass! Your mama was pissed and screamed at you." Sharky's sidetracked as a ball of flame swallowed an incoming peggie truck.

"I still don't understand how you caught it on fire. You know, I thought that it could have been the fur surrounding the butt you know, but if it took a shit, it wouldn't have caught on fire, right?" Hurk's question was followed by and exploding semi. Andria loved hearing the exchanges between these two, because you never knew where they would go.

Sparing a glance over to Eli, she watched his face in amusement as it twisted in confusion. They both looked back towards the Auto Shop and watched as a warden and Peggie climbed out of the vehicle desperately trying to put out Sharky's flames.

"You know I always wondered why burned Peggs smelt like bacon, anyone know why?" Hurks questioned as he shot an incoming truck with barrels of bliss. Luke had taken to dumping bliss onto Resistance locations as wardens drove by with another group of cultist following not far behind to grab the people that were there. But damn she had to admit the made a satisfying show when they were blown up.

"I always thought they smelled like deer. I don't know what your sayin."

"Now hold on, I have seniority over you, that means that you have to agree with me." She stood up and shook her head when she saw Cheeseburger throw the last Warden like a Raggedy Anne doll.

Eli and Rook jogged over to where his vehicle was being held at, and both collectively looked on in anguish. The once bright green Ares was now painted a sickening mayonnaise color. But it was unmistakably Ares, the signature bike handle hung from the mirror along with a Peggie charm. The light bar stood on top, and the Deer Antlers were still attached to the front grille.

"Y'know Dep, I thought you guys said we were here for a Resistance vehicle, this looks like a Peggie truck to me, I say we just grab the antlers and blow it sky high." Eli immediately held his hand up in refusal.

"No, no we take it, this is a symbol for the Whitetails, all we got to do is paint it bright green again." He slowly walked forward and carressed one of the antlers and whispered.

"Welcome home Ares, welcome home. Tammy is gonna be happy to see you."

She smiled and left him to it while dragging Hurk and Sharky to a vehicle, as the resistance had already came back to secure the area.

"Nope, boys we got something much bigger to blow up." Climbing into an abandoned cult vehicle, she waited for Sharky and Hurk to climb in, and rolled her eyes when Sharky turned the radio to disco.

"We gonna blow up Joseph's Church?" Both cousins looked at her with hopeful eyes.

"Sorry guys not that big, We're taking down that eyesore of a statue." She turned around to see them with shit-eating grins and high-fiving. Through the clouds the "Father" statue came into view, and they all prepared as they pulled up, and on cue, the sound of Tulip and Nick Ryes airplanes sounded in the distance, she had called in all the stops for this operation.

Climbing out of the truck, she was tackled by boomer, and looked to see Jess and Grace standing over her, signaling that they had did their jobs and eliminated all the Wardens and anyone else protecting this place. With the click of her radio, the biggest grin spread across her face.

"Light him up!" Almost immediately Sharky and Hurk attacked blowing chucks close to the ground apart, and Nick came in for a strafing run, taking out the top, and and Tulip came into view, eliminating the last of the center. Turning around, she smiled as she watched fireworks erupt from the Jail, Fall's End, and the Wolf's Den. Yes, she had told everyone about this happening, cuz she knew it would mark the end of another herald, she would make sure Faith would die. She would not make the same mistake that she did with John.

First would be Faith, she would die. Then Luke, she hoped they could bring him to his senses, but if not, he was the last wall between her and Joseph, he would have to die as well. and John would be dealt with at the compound. Quickly she jumped on a bike and drove off.

"Holy shit Dep, whatever you just did has caused those Peggies to go apeshit, from what I hear, not only did you take back Luke's truck, but you blew up that damn statue as well. Good work kid, but Faith will be after you, and you're definitely pushing Luke towards action, Keep your head on a swivel kid. Dutch out."

This was it. It won't be long now.


	26. Have Faith (Henbane River Finale)

Rook stopped her bike and stepped off. Faith would be coming for her soon. She was sure of that. As the sun dipped below the the Whitetail Mountains. She sat on the moist grass, watching as the fog began to rise, and the all to familiar sparkles of bliss fille her vision. She stood and waited, as her world was swallowed by smoke.

"Welcome to the bliss." Her disembodied voice flowed through Andrea's brain, as the Herald appeared in her view, blowing more of the drug into her face.

When Andria's vision had cleared, she was in a field, and Faith was nowhere to be seen, but a large silhouette was in the distance, it looked male, but... He couldn't be here, she couldn't take both of them on, there was no way!

"I don't understand... Did you think you could just continue to do what you wanted without consequences?" A butterfly flew past as she tried to speak, but nothing would come out. The figure in the distance began to circle the field, remaining out of view.

Faith entered her view and she seemed... upset to say the least.

"I have been reasonable, I have been fair. But you are just so... selfish!" She pushed her back, but turned her again to look at her.

"You forced someone to leave that didn't want to go."

They zoomed through the bliss and came to a point where Virgil, the Marshal, and Tracey were playing cards at a table. Andria just stared in confusion.

"All so you could be what? A hero?" Faith pushed her back before she walked over to the Marshal. "Do you know what hubris is? Arrogance before the gods." She caressed the Marshals shoulder before she sat on the table, obscuring Tracey from Rook's view.

"The greeks saw it as a dangerous form of pride that invoked the goddess Nemesis, who would seek retribution."

Virgil began to speak up at that moment. "I win this hand, you have to wear a button, whaddya say?" The Marshal calmly laid down his hand, revealing that he had a straight flush. Tracey sighed and stood, returning herself to Andria's view. Faith walked over to Burke again, before speaking.

"If violence is the only language that you choose to speak, I'll speak your language." Her hand moved down Marshal Burkes' arm, and she spoke, the Marshal's voice echoing what she says,

"And when their blood is on your hands,"

"And when their blood is on your hands,"

Virgil and Tracey looked at him questioningly as he grabbed his pistol.

"We'll see how heroic you feel."

"We'll see how heroic you feel."

"What are you doing!?" Virgil yelled, before Tracey tackled him and the gun went off. Andria leapt forward but was held back by some unknown force.

"I'm sorry to have to do this,"

"I'm sorry to have to do this,"

"I wanted there to be another way."

"I wanted there to be another way."

She pushed the Marshal away and he walked to the control console,

"But you made your choice."

"But you made your choice."

Screams erupted from the jail as the cells and main gate were opened.

The Marshal then turned to Andria, before speaking, but she didn't hear him. The loud thrumming of her heart swallowed all over her hearing as she watched the Marshal kill himself. Finally she could move, but all too soon was she pulled out of her dreamlike state.

As she came to in the real world she shot to her feet and made a mad dash towards the jail.

Entering the gate, she was horrified to find the jail was overrun.

"Look at you, rushing to help. Don't worry... your friends will be safe with me." Faith's voice wafted through the air as Andria charged through the once safe haven.

Time seemed to flow quickly as her panicked mind tried to grasp the situation.

"Aww... still trying to play hero... It's too late you know. You should have listened when you had the chance." Her words forced ragged breaths from andria's chest. But another person's words entered her head. a person she didn't want to see again.

~Flashback~

 _Andria and Luke were standing outside of the Wolf Den, just watching the sunset. He had just found her after Jacob had captured her for a second time. Joseph's words still fresh in her mind._

 _Back when Luke gagged and puked at the thought of joining Eden's Gate._

 _"Hey... Andria?" Luke quietly asked, to which she hummed in response._

 _"When you were with Jacob, all I could think about was rescuing my friend. Shit Tammy literally had to hold me back at one point. But, I wanted to tell you something. Something my LT told me helps him calm down in a firefight. "Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today, is a gift. That is why it is called the Present."_

~End of Flashback~

She took a deep breath in, and what she had to do was clear again, she slowly began to clear what used to be another home for her. As Andria entered the main building, Faith's singing could be heard all around her. But she remained calm.

When she entered the control room, she found Virgil hunched over Tracey's body.

"Rook, you... you have to stop her... she took the Sheriff... please, stop Faith!" He then returned to crying for the deceased woman.

Rage, hate, and anger built inside of Andria as she charged out of the now secure Jail. Taking extra notice when the white sparkles filled her vision, and swallowed her whole. As her vision cleared, before her stood a set of gates.

"Now you see what we can do. Come to me and I'll show you a world you never dreamed possible." Faith's voice circled the air around her, but someone else's breath could be heard as well.

Slowly she walked the path before her as questions berated her.

Will she make it?

Who else is here?

Will she be able to beat Luke?

Is this what the Father wants?

No, no she didn't care what Joseph wants, she wanted to puke, but couldn't. As of late, when she is alone, her mind always finds itself thinking thoughts about Joseph.

What if he's right?

Is it that hard to believe?

Why did he think she was so special?

As the world opened into a clearing, the first thing she noticed was the figure in the background, she had a feeling in her gut that she knew who it was, but she didn't want to believe it.

"Amazing Grace... How sweet the sound..." When She turned, Faith was walking hand in hand with Whitehorse. Andria's stomach dropped, and a seed of doubt planted itself into her head. She knew this was a terrible idea, but she had to save Whitehorse.

"That saved... a wretch like me..." There, in the background was an echo of Faiths words, and her fears came true. The figure in the background was in fact...

Luke.

His singing was a haunting sound to her. It was by no means bad. But it meant he would be watching.

Judging.

Her ears caught something else. Now the Sheriff, in his bliss induced state, was also singing.

"I once was lost... but now am found... was blind but now... I see"

"I once was lost... but now am found... was blind but now... I see"

Andria reached out to Whitehorse with tears brimming in her eyes.

She was afraid. Luke and Whitehorse, but strong willed men, were under the cults control.

One under the influence of bliss, and the other converted from her mistake. Deep in the back of her mind, she started to believe. Maybe Joseph was right.

Just before she reached Whitehorse, Faith stopped her arm.

"Your Sheriff kept you from walking the path. But now he understands its purpose. And he'll join our family in Eden." She watched in anger, and agony, and Whitehorse walked to Luke whilst singing Amazing Grace. Faith stepped into her view, blocking her view from the Sheriff.

"And if you try to stop him... She laughed and spun away, before dispersing into a cloud of dust." Luke stepped out of the smoke and grabbed Whitehorse, which seemed to cause the older man to flinch.

"Faith, I asked that I be left to deal with Whitehorse. But if you have him, I will come and get him." And with that Luke dispersed into smoke, and Whitehorse continued out of sight.

Slowly, and hesitantly, Andria continued, a green haze covering her eyes, as she realised she might be in the wrong...

No, no they were wrong, they were killers, they all were, she only killed because it was necessary.

"Your Sheriff was a wall, a wall between you and the father." Faith said as she constantly seemed to appear and disappear.

"A wall that kept you from seeing his truth." In anger Andria grabbed her gun and fired. Faith seemingly teleported away. Angels and Wardens began appearing throughout the field, each disappearing after being shot.

"So I will knock down that wall." The gunfire continued, but in the corner of her eye she saw two figures, one was Luke, and the other was...

Joseph. She knew that she might see John if she looked close enough, but was otherwise too afraid to, and otherwise occupied.

Were they here to make sure faith doesn't die?

Would they be disappointed in her.

Was this even the right choice?

"Your Sheriff is so close now., So close to accepting the words of the Father into his heart. And when he does... There's no coming back from that." She laughed as multiple of herself formed around the field and began sending clouds of bliss her way. Many Angels and a few Wardens appeared also, but again were dispatched with a single bullet.

"The end is near for you"

She began firing for her life when the Angels surrounded her.

"You've lost the path."

She rolled a bandage on her arm when she realized she was bleeding, but her thoughts were a muddled cloud, The Andria she had been before this, and seemingly an Andria who joined Eden's Gate waged war in her mind.

"Why do you keep fighting us. You know what is coming! The Father Showed you The world is crashing to an end! It is diseased and corrupt. The father is offering you a chance to let go... to stop worrying... to be free... Luke has begun to walk the path, and his hand is outstretched to you! Why won't you take it? Why won't you take any of our hands?"

Andria looked around, and sure enough, there they were. Luke, John, and him. The Father all had their hands outstretched to her , and for a moment she wondered.

Why doesn't she. Would it be ok for her to do it? Her gun slipped from her hands, and she stumbled forward. She thought she was reaching for Luke's hand, but in reality, she was walking towards Joseph. Faith appeared right next to her, and seemingly guided her along. Right before she took Joseph's hand, she pulled back and shook her head.

"I can't, I've got to many people to worry about. She ripped of Faith's Key and took off, not before she seen the faces of the Cult's leaders.

Faith seemed hurt, not sure what to do now that she was running away from them after being so close to joining Eden's Gate.

John seemed annoyed to say the least. His hand was the first to fall. He seemed the most apprehensive after she left him to die.

Luke looked disheartened. His eyes scanned her face in an attempt to see a change in her face, something that would show she would suddenly turn and taker his hand.

But Joseph...

He was calm. As if he knew she would come around soon. He had no worries of this, and as the others turned to leave, there he stayed, watching he retreating form,They were meant to be, Joseph knew this. For the voice showed him. Faith had lived. The future was uncertain for Luke.

Soon she would face her greatest trial yet.

Luke.


	27. A Decision (Second Capture) Part 12

When Andria next awoke, she found herself once again in a cage, the familiar scenery told her that she was in the Warden's main camp. The sweet sickening whistle of "Only You" filled her ears as her vision filled with red.

Luke slowly walked into her view, before stopping and sitting in front of her. He pushed a plate forward. A big pile of mashed potatoes and Roast. Another woman sat a small distance behind him his large calloused hand held her smaller one, his thumb drawing small circles on the back of her hand.

Luke stood up again but carefully looked at the woman, before walking away. Slowly she approached.

"H-hello. Um, My name... It's Lily." She took the seat that Luke had used during her first 'visit' to the Main Camp. Wardens could be seen nearby, most likely to protect this woman.

"Luke has told me a lot about you. I could never do what you have, I'm too scared to." Lily looked towards the Deputy with hopeful eyes, but was disappointed when she said nothing. "You should eat. Luke was pretty persistent on giving you some food."

Andria simply pushed the food away, not trusting it to not be full of bliss. Luke returned soon with John in tow.

"My dear Deputy! It has been too long since we last _saw_ each other." Andria looked on in fear as Luke led Lily away, leaving her with the Baptist. His eyes an angry glint.

"John you're only here to help her atone, nothing more. Remember what Joseph said." John Tsk'd and pulled out his copy of the Book of Joseph. Andria backed up until she spared a glance at Luke, who had his back turned to her. At that moment, all of the fight had drained from her. There was no one to help her now. No hidden gun to use.

John stood her up and spoke. A few more people appeared in her view.

Faith, and Joseph. Luke was still turned away. His figure ridged and unmoving.

"Our devoted, we are gathered here to bear witness to those willing to atone for their sins. Will you, Andria Rook, place your hand upon the word of Joseph?"

Andria closed her eyes. There was nothing she could do. Slowly, and hesitantly, her hand found its way to the book, and her mouth uttered but one word.

"Yes."

John smiled in excitement. Finally, Finally he had heard her say yes. After wishing for so long, she had said it. And once again, it was _John_ who had gotten her to say yes. Not Faith, not Jacob, and not Luke, _Little John_ had started Rook on the path to atonement.

John set his copy of the Book of Joseph aside, and began to rip away the word Wrath from her collar bone. A few whimpers escaped at first, before screams of pain erupted from deep within.

"That's it Andria, feel the sin be ripped from you, and when it is all gone all that will remain will be clarity." Luke pushed past as John ripped the word from her skin and approached the wooden column at the center of the camp to display her sin. Immediately Luke began to treat the wound. Faith approached and put her into a light bliss, but Joseph.

Joseph merely watched, as if he knew she would seek to talk to him and not the other way around.

When the wound was patched up, she reached past everyone in her bliss induced state, to Joseph. Slowly he approached humming 'Amazing Grace' and at that moment, everything faded leaving only Andria and Joseph. Butterflies filled her vision.

"Deputy, you have made the most important choice, and you have chosen to start upon the path. There is nothing that makes me happier than that. But it is not over. Your story has just begun." Joseph walked back into the fog before disappearing.

 _~Later~_

When Andria later awoke, the soft humming of a woman filled her ears. Looking towards where Luke mostly was, she found Faith spinning in little circles while humming that _damned_ song.

Were all of Eden's Gate's Leaders obsessed with Amazing Grace.

When Faith noticed Andria was awake, she seemed to float over, and Andria had to do a double take around her, and sure enough, in the distance the bliss fog was present, she must have been lightly blissed, why she wasn't fully blissed, she couldn't figure it out.

"I'll go get Luke, then we can get you dressed and ready for the Father's sermon." She swiftly made her way to where Luke must be, but the Deputy was more preoccupied. Luke had been the one to come and get her this time, she remembered it clearly

 _~Flashback~_

 _Andria had just taken back another outpost occupied by Wardens. she had been taking back a lot of resources and outpost, but almost always they were quickly retaken by Luke._

 _She expected Luke would soon be reaching out and contacting her. And would you know it, he did._

 _"Deputy, you are testing my patience. I am trying to play nice, but obviously you can't seem to understand that."_

 _"Luke, you and your people are kidnapping innocent people, how is any of that playing nice?"_

 _She was hoping to anger Luke but he must have known that, because what he said next sent fear coursing through her body._

 _"Tsk tsk tsk dear Andria. I haven't killed a single person yet, and all of those we "kidnap" are happily on the road towards atonement." Andria growled in frustration, not only did her plan fail, as he wasn't as easily provoked as John, but it showed just how far Luke was gone._

 _No amount of anything they could do would bring him back. He was a herald now, a peggie through and through. Andria would have to kill him._

 _"Just as you will soon Andria, don't worry, you stay right where you are. I'm coming to get you, and then you'll see just how misinformed you really are. By the way, next time don't drive a red car in the forest, not very good for camouflage." At that moment she looked back at her vehicle, and realized it was red, and that he was close._

 _Throwing the door open, and she grabbed her rifle. Spotting the flash of his scope, before a dart embedded itself in her arm._

 _"It's time to come home Andria."_

 _~End of Flashback~_

The sound of keys jingling entered her view, pulling her attention from the butterfly on her finger.

"Faith and Lily are going to get you dressed and cleaned up. Do NOT disappoint me, I am sticking my neck out to make this happen, I just hope you will make the right decision here." With that having been said, Luke left her field of view and was replaced by Faith, and the woman before, Lily was the name Luke had used.

Slowly and without being told, she stood and allowed herself to be led to a cabin in the compound, she began making a mental note of everything's location, before spotting a closed bunker door to the right of the cabin, she would need a key, and Luke was the most likely candidate to be holding it.

As she was led into a bedroom, most likely Luke's, she was surprised when Lily opened up the wardrobe to find several dresses. Faith entered the side bedroom and the sound of the bath started.

"I hope you fit these, we don't exactly have many stores we can shop at. John said he could buy something for you, but Joseph said that we shouldn't endulge any of your sins, or help you form new ones."

"Which I agree with. She will be at Joseph's side, she should not have any sins plaguing her." Faith grabbed Andria's hand and helped her undress, before helping her into the bath, which only enhanced the effects of the bliss.

Andria just relaxed, she hadn't felt clean in awhile, she might as well enjoy herself. Things couldn't get too bad, Joseph did want her alive right? So she might as well enjoy herself. Faith and Lily both started to sing Amazing Grace, and without her noticing it, she started singing along.

An unnatural calm began to fill her body. She started looking forward to the sermon as it would be a fresh change of pace. It would be a break from the never ending war. As Lily and Faith began to clean her body and scrub her hair, she let out a sigh of contentment.

"I'm glad to see your enjoying yourself. There are a lot of scars, but I thing your skin is still beautiful." Faith said and Andria nuzzled happily into Lily's hands. When they pulled her out of the tub, she felt new, and clean.

"Now let's get you cleaned up. The Father will be overjoyed when he sees you in the church!"


	28. The Father's Testimate (Second Capture)

Joseph sat alone in the church, his sermon would begin soon, but he was praying. Luke, John, and Faith had been rather distant since Andria was captured by Luke again. He was rather happy that she had begun her atonement, but was worried that his herald's we're beginning to lose faith.

Joseph prayed, prayed for guidance on how to reinforce their faith. The church doors opened, and the voices of John and Luke wafted through the air. Joseph did not pay attention to their talk, as he listened for the voice to answer his prayers. Soon enough the murmurs of his flock could be heard outside.

Luke and John stood by waiting patiently, Faith was nowhere to be seen. Had she abandoned the project cookout? What of tonight's family dinner? Joseph slowly stood, before grabbing each of their faces, and pressing his forehead against theirs.

"Do not lose sight of your path. You may lead yourself to damnation if you do." John shook his head, while Luke answered back, sharing a concerned look with John.

"I understand."

Joseph turned and approached the door, before looking back to the two. Last night Joseph had a vision. John, Luke, and Faith strayed from the path, and they died by the Deputy's hand because of it.

But his attention was pulled back towards the outside. It had grown deathly quiet. That usually only happened when he threw open the church doors. Slowly, he opened the doors, and the sight before him shocked him.

Andria stood there next to Faith at the front of the congregation. The calm smile that adorned her face paired with the light green haze of her eyes proved she was under the effects of the bliss. Her hair was left flowing down her back, and her dress was similar to Faith's own, but unlike her, Andria had light yellow slippers on her feet.

"Hello Joseph." Andria's voice vas smooth, no hatred or malice was present. However, Joseph knew that Andria had built up at least somewhat of an immunity, some of her actions would still be of her own accord. Had she decided on this willingly?

He slowly took her hand and led her inside. Happily, she followed. Quiet whispers passed through his flock as they filed in. Joseph sat Andria down next to Lily in the front pew, and slowly raised his hands above himself.

"My children, today God has blessed us. The lamb is here to hear the word of God. She has come, not bearing arms, but with arms outstretched, holding no ill intent." Slowly he looked down, scanning the faces of those present. Some were wearily watching her, while others were focused on the Father, and his heralds behind him.

"We will show her kindness, and love, and faith. We will help her see what she has been blinded from. Help her see what will come to pass, what she is destined to do." Slowly he walked forward. Sparing glances towards Rook, only to see he had her full attention. And just as Luke had during his time of recovery here, she listened.

Her eyes seemed to search his own through the yellow tint, the few whispers that passed through the crowd were silenced when Luke cleared his throat in a silent threat.

"We have all come here in search of salvation, of family, and of home. Now, we will show the lamb those same values. We will welcome her into our family just as we have you, Just as we have Luke. She has not come to fight, but to understand. In a sign of good faith, we will lay down our weapons, and teach. We will show her what we seek to accomplish." Lily took Andria's hand in her own and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

Joseph stood outside of the church, watching as his children mingled. Luke had suggested a project cookout, as a way to relieve everyone of stress, and to strengthen their bonds. Currently, the aforementioned young man was helping to pass out food. John was making sure everything else was running as it should. Faith was singing to the few children that were present.

But Joseph was watching Andria more than he was his heralds. She was sitting on a bench alone, watching everyone else enjoy themselves. A smile graced her lips, but even from his spot, he could tell it was a lonely smile. He wondered why Lily was not speaking to her, until he spotted her helping Luke.

Slowly Joseph made his way over. Taking a seat next to her, he quietly waited for her to talk.

"I understand why you do it, I really do. You believe in something, and you act on it." He listened as he waited for her to continue, his gaze focused ahead, but not at any particular thing.

"But I have people who depend on me Joseph, and I can't just leave them. No matter how right you may be. They need me, just as your flock needs you." She looked over at him, her eyes were clear, free of the effects of the bliss.

"They will understand, if you were to lay down down your arms. Not every problem can be answered with a bullet. You have fought long enough Deputy, we mean no harm." His eyes returned to watching his flock.

Suddenly the all to familiar tune of one of the cult's songs started being sung, her eyes shifted to the approaching form of John, of course he would approach her when they started singing 'Oh John'.

"Well my dear Rook, may I have the honor of this dance?" His eyes looked hopeful, as he outstretched his hand.

Sparing a glance towards Joseph, and was met with expecting eyes. "Yes John, you can."

John's eyes lit up with a childish glee as he pulled her to the center of everyone. Of course he was going to make a show of it, why had she expected anything else? Slowly he began swinging her around, and that's how the rest of the gathering went. Eventually, Luke and Lily also began dancing, but that was later.

Once everyone left. The Seeds began to clean up. Surprisingly there wasn't that big of a mess left, considering how many people were there. Andria, feeling uncomfortable watching the five of them and the few remaining followers clean up, decided to help. Catching the five of them off guard, she walked up to Joseph to ask what she could do to help.

"Well, I would like if you were to help me pick up the trash." Without responding, she began on her task. Not an hour later they were finished, and Joseph led her to a small path that led to a lake. Could She really go through with this?


	29. My Brother's Keeper (Luke Finale)

Andria knew what she was doing from the moment she gathered everyone and attacked the main Wardens camp. Those who accompanied were as listed.

Eli, Nick Rye, Pastor Jerome, Joey Hudson, Grace Armstrong, Hurk Jr., Sharky, Jess Black, Stacy Pratt, Boomer, Cheeseburger, Peaches, and a handful each of Resistance fighters, Whitetail Militia, and Hope County Cougars to assault the main camp. Luke and Lily were both attending a sermon when they struck, and boy did they strike.

The battle was brutal and there were some losses on their side, but they had managed to kill all of the Wardens there. This was the final push. She felt it. She _knew_ it.

So when her radio clicked on, she was not surprised that Luke's voice came through.

 _"Deputy, time and time again you have tested my patience, and for the last time. Your WRATH has consumed you. I've tried and tried to show you what you fight. But you have killed everyone that you meet. All of your problems are met with violence, why? When will you stop?"_

She looked at her radio knowingly. The showdown with Luke would be inevitable.

"Luke, I'm fighting for these people's livelihood. You just don't get it, the project has destroyed these people's lives. Families have been torn apart, kids are missing their parents, and people are dying? And you guys say it's to save them?" She was hurt she didn't want this, she wanted Luke to come back.

 _"You have judged, and so you shall be judged, I've paid our friends in Falls End, The Wolf Den, and the Jail a visit, come alone, or there will be_ _consequences."_ The way he said it scared her. Everyone that was present heard their interaction.

Their faces were all grim. Each one here had heard of the things Luke did while on the side of the resistance. He was a force to be reckoned with. But Eli would be the only one to speak up.

"Kid, I know this is hard, and I think I speak for most of the Whitetails when I say this, we don't want Luke dead either. But I don't think anything Wheaty could cook up even after we rescue him could bring Luke back. We all knew this would happen when you handed him over to Joseph."

Yeah, this was bound to happen. And it was her fault. She should have just let him die. That would have been a better fate than the one he's stuck in now.

"Yeah. Alright. I'm gonna fix my mistake. That's not Luke, It's just a peggie in his body." The nervous glances grew as they watched Andria, realizing just how worn, both mentally and physically, she really was. And all they could do was watch as she jumped into the nearest truck, one that was a peggie mayonnaise color, and drive off to fight the final herald.

 _~Timeskip~_

Andria had benn to Falls End, The Wolf Den, and the Jail, searching for clues as to where Luke was. The only thing she had managed to figure out was that the cult's apparent new favorite song was _Oh The Bliss_.

Wait.

She reached for the radio and turned it up.

 _"You'll find it if you follow me,_  
 _Oh the bliss,_  
 _Oh the bliss,_  
 _Oh the bliss will set you free_  
 _Oh the bliss is gonna make you see!"_

God damn it. The hint had been in front of her the entire time.

"Rook to Dutch, come in Dutch."

 _"What's wrong kid, did you find something?"_

She sighed as she clicked her radio back on.

"Yeah, he's waiting for me in the bliss."

 _"Jesus kid, are you sure about this?"_

 _"_ I don't really have a choice Dutch, make sure you let everyone else know. Rook out."

Stopping the car she stepped out, and felt the water of the Henbane soak into her shoes. Picking a small bundle of bliss flowers that grew by the edge of the water, she swallowed and inhaled deeply.

When she opened her eyes, she was surprised to not be met by Faith. But remembered she was not who she was here to fight.

"You're here." Turning around she found Luke petting Balto. The dog had yet to leave his side.

"Deputy I understand why you still fight us. I was in your shoes. Until I felt that you had betrayed me, but you helped me. Those you surround yourself with do not understand what we try to accomplish."

"Luke we both know I've come here to kill you." His face became saddened.

"You have judged us, so we have judged you." With that he walked away with Balto, leaving in a puff of smoke, only to be replaced by the body of Mary May.

"NOOOO!" Rushing towards her dead friend's body, she cared less that the world dissolved to show she was back on the mountain where she killed Jacob. The unconscious bodies of Virgil, Tammy, Wheaty, Kim, and the Sheriff surrounded her. But she was focused on the body in her hands.

Anger coarsed through her as she stood. She had taken her friend's life. He wasn't who he used to be. With a guttural roar, she yelled.

"LUKE! WHERE ARE YOU!" retrieving her rifle, she rolled just in time to dodge a bullet.

 _"You're too dangerous to be kept alive Andria. After beginning the path, you went back on your promise to yourself. Snatched your own soul from redemption. And for what? Friends who always demand from you? A job that no longer exists? A_ ** _sin_** _that has consumed you?"_

Another sniper round slammed into the ground next to her. She looked around trying to figure out where he was since she couldn't hear his gun when he fired.

 _He probably has a silencer. Might as well pick a direction and run._

So she did. She started heading back in the direction of the Wolf's Den, and a sharp bite racked her leg.

 _From the right. There you are._

The flash of his scope gave away his position. Ducking down behind a tree, she flinched as a bullet landed inches from her foot.

 _He's aiming for my legs? What is he playong at?_

 _"Why don't you see we just want to help Andria? I was just as confused as you were, now look! I understand that I... We, were wrong. Joseph, John, Faith... Jacob."_ His voice dropped off for a minute, giving her just enough time to wrap her leg and come up with a response, before peeking out.

"Luke, we both know what Jacob was doing was wrong. You saw the inside of the Veterans Center firsthand, for a _week_ you were trapped there. Now, your defending what he was doing. Hell, you even took his place!"

"He was trying to show us Andria! And we killed him. I have seen what I have done wrong. I have atoned, I have walked the path. I have saw what is coming. I was blind but Joseph showed me. He helped me overcome my past. He can help you too Andria."

Bursting from her cover she first a few rounds in his direction, to which he growled at.

"I'm not going to, no matter how much he may be right, the people of hope county are counting on me. I can't let them down. I'm going to stop every peggie I see, whether it be with a bullet or a bat, I wont stop until their all dead." Sliding behind a rock she reloaded and bandaged her arm, weary of the few peggies now running at her.

 _"Opening our home to you, did that mean nothing?"_

 _~Flashback~_

 _Joseph pulled Rook gently towards the waters edge._

 _"My brother did not give you a loving baptism, I would like if I could." His smooth voice paired with his soft gaze captured her attention, compelling her to say yes. And so she did._

 _His smile grew, if only a little as he led her into the water. Placing his hands on her neck and lower back, he gave her a reassuring look as he slowly lowered her into the water. As her head became fully submerged, Joseph began speaking._

 _She focused on his voice, muffled and low, trying to figure out what he was saying. And just when her lungs began to burn, Joseph brought her up._

 _"And be born anew, as we march into the gates of our New Eden." Her eyes panned towards the shoreline, to spot a waiting Lily, who stood patiently with a towel. Feeling Joseph's hand gently ushering her towards the shore, her feet followed as if they had a mind of their own._

 _She felt comfortable._ ** _Safe_** _. Carefully she took the towel from Lily._

"How do you feel?" Her question was genuine, just as her smile was. Why had she been fighting these people?

 _"Clean." The two women shared a giggle. But in reality, she did. Like, something bad was taken away. She felt lighter, could breath easier. Maybe, just maybe, she was wrong. Maybe Joseph was right._

 _"Come, Im sure the dinner Luke has been preparing all day is finished, Let's not keep them waiting." The walk back to Joseph's home, however short, was pleasant. She held onto his arm as they walked. She felt like she was meant to be there. Like THIS was her home, her place._

 _And strangely, it was Andria who started to hum Amazing Grace. And Joseph smiled._

 _"Amazing Grace"_

 _"How sweet the sound"_

 _She smiled as Joseph and Lily joined her, and the sung, until the entered Joseph's home to see John and Faith sitting at the dinner table off to the right and Luke sitting down a chicken next to a large bowl of potatoes, stuffing, corn, and peas._

 _"Let us say grace." Joseph took a seat, and Rook took the seat to his right. Taking Joseph's and Lily's hands, they said grace, and ate. And she felt like she was at home._

 _Faith's soft but beautiful humming. John's stories and occasional jokes. Joseph's few comments here or there to either something Luke or John said. Luke's talk about how much of a success the cookout was. And finally Lily's words of love and joy towards Luke._

 _It really felt like she was meant to be there. It was her home._

 _~Flashback End~_

Tears welled up in her eyes. That was one of the happiest memories she has had in a long time. She really didn't want to fight anymore. That's why all of the peggies she shoots are in the arm or leg.

Non-lethal injuries.

Looking back towards where Luke was, he was now standing on the edge of the field, his rifle on the ground, and his hands up in a fashion similar to Joseph right before everything happened.

She could feel _him._ Joseph was watching, she did not know where from though.

Luke slowly and carefully approached, as if dealing with a wounded animal.

"Deputy, let us put down our guns, we have been fighting for too long. Please, come with me, have you not seen what we stand for? We let you into our home, showed you that we are human, that we have love and compassion and faith. There are children without parents because of this war. You have taken men from families, son's from parents, mothers from children. But it does not have to continue." By now he could almost reach out and touch her.

"Im sorry Luke but I can't." Before anyone could react, she lifted her pistol, and pulled the trigger. Tears ran down her face as a look of pain and betrayal spread his, and then pain erupted from her shoulder. Her eyes spotted the pistol slipping from his hands as he slammed into the ground.

"Get to Luke! Father protect him!" Snatching the bunker key from around his neck. She ran. 

And she cried.


	30. Rejoice (Story Canon Finale)

**_I just wanted to say that after this chapter I have a bunch more chapters planned and am planning on making a "What if" book where you guys can request stuff like "What would of happened if Luke would have stayed at Josephs compound after he dropped john off?" And things like that. But this story will hold all of the alternate endings._**

 ** _So without further ado!_**

One week.

That's how long she has been preparing to confront Joseph. After word got out that Luke had somehow lived, people began losing faith in her.

Three heralds still lived. Not only that, but her nerves were on the fritz, and she was waging a war against herself.

On one hand, she wanted to just end this holy war and arrest Joseph, John, Luke, and Faith. On the second hand, she wanted to just let them have the island that they were on. But it had to happen.

Joseph had to be stopped. She knew this after what he said.

~Flashback~

 _"Andria. My dear, sweet, Andria._

 _You have killed and slaughter my family. You have stolen parents from children, husbands from wives, children from parents._

 _And you never gave it a second thought. Did you?_

 _All the senseless slaughter, and did it fill you, or are you still empty. Has your Wrath given you any sense of comfort? You have taken my family from me, so that I may have yours. I will be waiting for you Andria, where it all began._

 _~Flashback End~_

Joseph and his family had her friends. Jerome, Eli, Whitehorse... All of them except Dutch were captured.

Joseph made it clear that he also wanted to end it.

And she was glad. She didn't know if she had the mental strength to even fight this last battle. But it didn't matter what she could do. She had to rescue her friends.

So. Here she was. At the entryway of Joseph's compound, unmoving, frozen, sweating. She had to do this.

Joseph was the bad guy, and it was her job to stop the bad guys. So why did she not want to? Why was the voice in her head telling her she was wrong?

Her heart sputtered as she took that first step into the seemingly empty compound, making her way towards the church, the cursed place where this all started.

Her breaths and footsteps were shaky as she looked around. Something wasn't right, and every fiber of her being was screaming at her to run.

What if Joseph was right? What if she had slaughtered hundreds for no reason? What if she really was wrong, and that God really was leading him?

She hadn't asked for this holy war. She just wanted to do her job. Had she known what happened, she would have just left.

Would she have really? Knowing what the people of Hope County were going through? She wouldn't have just walked away.

But she would have searched for a peaceful solution. One where niether side had to died. Hell, she would have said Yes to John's baptism and atonement if it meant preventing so many pointless deaths.

Her thoughts paused as she stopped in front of that white church. It loomed over her in judgement, as if judging every move. Like the eyes of Joseph's heralds had. Each Judging in their own way.

John's filled with hatred and rage as she left him to die, while still laced with smugness as he smiled in victory as he was right about Andria's sin being Wrath.

Jacob's own brimming with amusement as he rambled on about the collapse of empires. Spouting about Joseph being right as life slipped away from him.

Faith's eyes stared at her with a knowing of her pain. Genuinely looking as if she wanted to help Rook, like that was always what she wanted.

And Luke's.

His eyes judged the most.

Pain.

Betrayal.

Loss.

Abandonment.

All swirled withing his gaze as he fired his own weapon in retaliation to her attack. The way his face scrunched up in disappointment and fear of dying again.

Lily's eyes as she rushed to Luke's side to help, full of tears.

But the eyes of Joseph at the beginning of this haunted her the most. Eyes that stole her gaze in the church. Eyes that showed the Earth covered in hellfire. Eyes that terrified her. Eyes that warned, eyes that scorned, scrutinized, and begged.

Shaken from her thoughts, Andria jumped when Joseph threw open the church doors. Slowly he moved, and began to speak.

"And when the lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw under the alter, the souls of the martyrs. Slain because of the word of God. You made martyrs of my Brother, and my flock."

He pointed at her and walked past, causing her to turn to follow him. Her heart immediately stopped. Hudson, Pratt, and Whitehorse were forced to their knees by her blissed-out friends.

"And I'm prepared to do the same to yours."

He turned back to her, and her frozen body looked back up to him. And his gaze, was just like _that night_. Silently judging.

"But God is watching us. And he will judge us on what we choose in this moment."

Slowly, he began walking towards the church again, but her gaze never left him. Her mouth stayed agape. But Joseph never paused in his speech.

"I told you that we were living on the brink."

His voice slowly laced itself with venom as he approached her very slowly.

"Where every slight... Every injustice... Where every choice revealed our sins. And where have those sins led us? Where have those sins led you?"

His gaze hardened as a wetness pricked at the sides of her eyes, as the ironclad walls she had made around her heard cracked even further.

"Your friends have been taken and tortured and it's your fault... Countless people have been killed and it is your fault... The world is on fire and it's your fault."

His gaze soften just as his eyes caught a lone tear slide down her face, rolling over her quivering lip. The gears in his head began to turn, as if he could see the castle around her heart crumble beforw his eyes.

 _Because he could._

Joseph was far better at reading people than any of his heralds. He knew when a person was falling apart. Andria was. He could see that. An end to this war, with the lamb safely in his care.

"Was it worth it?" The slightest bit, without Andria realizing it, her head shook no. But it did not escape Joseph's blue pools.

"Was it?" Her answer did not change, but became slightly more noticible.

"When are you gonna realize that not every problem can be solved with a bullet?" As if on command, her Ar-C slipped from her fingers, crashing to the ground, the sight breaking off and skittering away. Another tear carved its path.

He broke thier gaze and pointed to the church, before walking towards it.

"When you first came here, I gave you the choice to walk away." He raised his arms, before lowering them and turning.

"You chose not to. In the face of God I am making you that offer, one last time." He approached, but it was not hostile, almost as if approaching a wounded animal. In a sense he was.

"Put down your guns, You take your friends, you leave me my flock... And you go in peace."

Hudson's voice broke her focus on him, and caused her to turn around.

"Go in peace? You're fucking insane!"

Pratt's scared voice was the next to speak up.

"Is he? We never should have come here in the first place!"

Whitehorses solemn voice was the final to speak.

"You know what to do Rook..."

Slowly she turned back towards Joseph, fear and worry and regret and sadness all filled her eyes, and he felt for her.

She was just a girl and she was forced by those she considered friends to sloughter countless people, all for their sake. All because "she had a job to do".

His hand once again came up as he gazed upwards, before returning his gaze to him.

"Remember, God is watching."

Suddenly she bacame aware of the tears on her face as she desperately began to wipe at them. Her quivering lips became loud sobs.

"I... I don't... I don't wanna... Wanna fight... I don't wanna fight anymore... Please... Let them go!"

Her knees gave out beneath her as the walls around her heart fell, and she reached her breaking point.

Her hands ripped at the grass as her cries grew. She didn't realise that Joseph's heralds all exited the church and watched.

Slowly she crawled towards Joseph, clutching the fabric of his pants and pleaded with him to let her friends go.

"Judge not, and you will not be judged." A small smile graced Joseph's face as he slowly helped Andria to her feet, only to be enveloped into a hug by the broken Deputy.

"Condemn not, and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven."

Slowly she pulled away, her sobs quieted as he pulled their foreheads together. And it was then she felt it.

At home. Safe. She knew that everything was going to be okay. She didn't have to fight anymore. That the war was over. And most importantly, that Joseph was right.

He had been all along.

She knew why they sung Amazing Grace, not because they liked it, because the knew, _they see._ They had all been shown by Joseph what was to come. Slowly, and shakily. The lyrics left her lips.

"Ama...zing... Grace... How... Sweet... The sound... That... Saved... A.. Wretch... Like... Me..." She laughed softly.

 _How could she have been so wrong?_

"Now, you see my child. All we have built, we have built to protect our family. Everytime I came to you, I have presented you with a home. Our family welcomes you with open arms."

She solfly smiled as she leaned into him.

"Yes."

The few actual peggies that littered the compound cheered as one of them shouted,

"The Father has tamed the Wrath!" He nodded, and the three officers were released, while her blissed out friends left for their own homes, as Joseph decided to let them leave as well.

Faith giggled as she cam up to Rook. John and Luke also stepped forward.

"I watched as the lamb left the seals, and returned to the shepard, and behold, a great celebration began in the heavens. As the lord prepared to release the final seals in one year. The shepard rejoiced as the lamb returned home."

He hugged her close. Finally happy that the lamb was safe in his care.

"Welcome home Andria." 

**_And there it is. Please tell me what you think. This story has been so much fun to write._**

 ** _-What was your favorite part?_**

 ** _-What was your least favorite part?_**

 ** _-What did you think of Luke?_**

 ** _-Are there any Alternate endings you wanna see?_**

 ** _Finally, should i eventually do a sequel._**

 ** _I have the Eulogy that Joseph says if Luke were to be killed and a few more goodies lined up, so stick around dor those._**

 ** _And one last thing,_**

 ** _To all of you who stuck around and read this story, whether you enjoyed it or not, I wanted to express my deepest gratitude to you. So I want to dedicate it, to all of you._**  
 ****  
 ** _Sincerely,_**  
 ** _Snowwy_**


	31. Sequal Announced

As you can Guess from the Title, yes I have decided to do a sequel with Everyone's favorite Seed Family, And Deputy. Hmmm... Am I forgetting Someone?

What Happened to everyones Favorite Park Ranger, well you'll just have to keep an eye out for

Far Cry New Dawn: A New Path


End file.
